A Physical Reminder
by theHumbleGM
Summary: Despite always being surrounded by friends and the injured & sick magical creatures in her rehab center, Lucy feels lonely. That is, until one day, when a particularly feisty drake is brought to her. When it begins to look like his owner may be the cause of his illness, Lucy might decide to keep him, especially when he begins to remind her more and more of her missing partner...
1. Chapter 1

**GUYS, I've finally got part one of this story done! I cut up the original into smaller parts, so I can finally start posting the story as I clean it up. I'll still have to finish writing the last quarter or so of the story, but for now, I've got something to post!**

**As a reminder, this is based on the FT world, but it's not the same. Also, my goal for this one is again to post at least once every other week, but if I don't, that doesn't mean I've abandoned it, it just means I've gotten busy with things or I'm not getting enough sleep. I will finish it, scout's honor!**

**I really hope you guys enjoy!**

**As always, happy reading!**

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"Alright Gray, here you go." Lucy handed the ice sprite a small cup of tea, which he took without a fight. He glared at her hand when she held it out again, this time holding out a small pill. "I know they don't taste great, but they're definitely helping. And I made the tea you like to go with it. Please take it."

Gray scowled, but put the pill in his mouth before swiftly emptying his cup. He blanched a little, but once he'd finished swallowing the medicine, his face returned to its usual neutral expression.

Lucy set down the cup on the stump next to her and then stood. "Do you mind if I have a quick look at your wings before I go?" He shook his head, and Lucy gave him a grateful smile before moving to stand behind him. She gently opened his wings and then ran a finger over the still healing lines. The tears in his wings had been so bad, he'd been unable to fly, which could spell death for a sprite in the area he lived. With the scars, he would more than likely have to relearn how to fly, since they would no longer be evenly weighed, but that was a small price to pay when he was still alive and healing thanks to their care.

"They're looking good! The medicine is definitely speeding up the healing. At this rate, I think you'll be able to leave by the end of the week. I know you're eager to get home," she said.

Gray didn't say anything, just twitched occasionally as her fingers ran over his wings. When she was done, she moved back towards her tray. "Here, I brought you a snack. I had something special shipped in from the mountains."

Gray took the container she offered, and once he'd opened it, he looked up at her with wide eyes. Lucy chuckled at his expression. "I noticed the bark on some of the trees in here was missing. I did a little research and found out that your kind like to eat it as a snack, so I had some shipped in. I'll make sure to keep it in stock while you're here, so try not to strip all of my trees, okay?"

He remained silent, as he always did when she visited, but he gave her a little a smile as he took the container and headed towards the small shack in the back of his enclosure. Lucy's heart soared at the sight of that smile. The ice sprite had been aloof most of his time there, fighting her left and right about any treatment to fix his wings, even though she'd tried her best to make friends with him. She was glad she'd finally found something to use to connect with him, even if it was something as small as food.

Lucy picked up her things and then moved towards the edge of the enclosure. She placed her hand against the barrier and said, "Allow exit, Lucy Heartfilia." A tall opening appeared in front of her and allowed her to pass through. Once she was on the other side, it closed on its own and the glowing ruins dimmed.

A noise on the other side of the aisle drew Lucy's attention, and she looked just in time to see a giant wave build and move her way. She flinched, waiting for the water to break through, but none did. Instead, the water crashed against the enclosure's barrier and fell straight down, settling quickly to reveal an annoyed looking mermaid.

"It seems Freed must be roaming around," she mused out loud. The mermaid huffed and crossed her arms as she turned away. Lucy laughed. "Oh come on, Juvia, why are you so agitated today? Are you not enjoying being across from the sprite anymore? We could move you if you like."

Juvia's head whipped around and she hissed, obviously unhappy with the idea.

"That's what I thought." Lucy moved to switch her used tray with another off her cart. "Here, I brought you something, too."

As Lucy approached her enclosure, the mermaid used her tail to whip up the water around her. The blonde sighed as she waited for the water to settle again.

"You know I can't open the barrier if you're doing that- the water will get out. You don't even know what I got you."

The mermaid grumbled, but the water did calm down some. Lucy opened the tray and held it out for Juvia to see. "I got you some of those urchins you like so much. Are you really not going to let me give them to you?"

At the word 'urchin,' the waves immediately stopped and the water stilled as Juvia dove into it and popped back up next to Lucy. "Remember," the blonde warned, "if you splash me or try to escape, I'll cut off your access to the underwater caves and put you back on your original diet until you're well enough to leave."

Juvia nodded and held out her hands.

Lucy raised her hand and placed it above the water line. "Allow tray, Lucy Heartfilia."

A small window opened and Lucy was able to pass Juvia the container of urchins before she removed her hand and the window closed again. Juvia held her hands above her head and spun around in the water, careful not to lose any of her treasure. "I hope you enjoy them," Lucy called over the splashing before turning away. Once she had the dishes secure on the cart, she turned it around and began to head back towards the front door of the building.

A couple dozen feet away, a large lion stood and moved to walk with her as she reached him.

"Did you know Freed was here?" she asked.

_Yes_, came the response in her head.

"Did you know he fixed Juvia's runes?"

_Yes_.

"Then why didn't you come over there with me?"

_I couldn't be sure it worked until it was tested_, he responded.

She laughed. "Worried about your fur, are you?"

The beast scoffed, but didn't deny her accusation.

When they finally exited the building, Lucy paused a moment to look around her property. When she'd bought it nearly five years ago, she never would have known it would become so successful.

When her father had passed away and she'd inherited his fortune, her first thought had been to use the money to help people. While she'd been trying to figure out how to do that, an illness had spread through the spirit world. It had caused the deaths of many, including her beloved Plue. Even worse, once the Zodiac had started to get sick, constellations had begun falling from the sky. Lucy had started researching, but once that first star fell, she had become practically possessed, but with what had happened with Natsu, it hadn't surprised her or her guild one bit. She wasn't willing to lose even one more person close to her.

Within a week she'd found an answer.

With the help of Porlyusica, she was able to procure a remedy fairly quickly, and once the spirits who were still sick recovered, the stars had returned to the sky. After that, Lucy had decided that she was going to put her father's fortune towards helping magical creatures. There were many around the countries that lacked any form of help when they were sick or injured.

With her mind finally made up, she'd begun to search for a place to do just that, and within a month had found the perfect place. It had been a zoo, once upon a time, and so it had been easy to clean up and repurpose as a rehabilitation center. The enclosures had been thoroughly cleaned and set up with a variety of environments so she could house a larger range of creatures.

Not only that, but it was only three hours from the coast and two hours from Mt. Hakobe, which was so cold you could find snow at the base of the mountain all year long- even in the middle of the summer. It was also only half an hour away from Magnolia, so she was close enough to get help from her guild or Porlyusica if she needed it. And so, the home of Heartfilia Magical Creature Rehabilitation Center had been chosen.

Her guild had been sad when she'd decided to step away, but they'd understood; it had been months since she'd taken a job anyway. She'd tried to leave entirely, but the master had refused to remove her emblem.

"Natsu would never forgive me if I allowed you to leave the family," he had said as he wished her well and told her she'd always be welcome back. The rest of the guild had voiced similar well wishes, especially the rest of her team.

It hardly felt like she'd left some days, since most of the members had visited since she'd set everything up. Some of them stopped by just because they were in the area, and others had come out to her for help with a job, or to bring her injured critters they'd found while travelling. It worked out well, especially since Levy had agreed to become a co-owner with her.

She'd been an invaluable addition, since her researching abilities had proven time and again to be better than Lucy's. Her speed had more than once saved the life of a creature staying there, and for that Lucy was extremely grateful.

Plus, once Levy and Gajeel had married, he'd started coming out with her whenever she came. Since Levy had already started devoting half her time at Lucy's property, Gajeel had decided he wanted to help with the large reptiles and drakes that came through, so he'd been studying as hard as Levy to understand how the different species worked, and as far as Lucy could tell, he was enjoying himself immensely.

Within the first year they'd even had a young dragon come through that he'd gotten to help train to fly. The little guy had apparently been abandoned and he'd never had the chance to learn. Once Lucy had gotten him healthy, Gajeel had worked tirelessly to teach him and he'd been able to leave on his own two wings to fly north. He'd even come back once to visit and Gajeel had been like an overgrown child in his eagerness to spend time with the beast, who had doubled in size between visits.

Not to mention Freed had offered his help as well once he'd found out what she was up to. His rune barriers had proven invaluable in her efforts to safely contain and access the creatures while they recovered.

Mira also came out on occasion to help with the cooking. She'd been teaching Lucy a thing or two, so her skills had vastly improved. Still, nothing could beat Mira's cooking.

Lucy glanced towards the greenhouse that was in the middle of her gardens and pulled out her clipboard to make sure no one was staying there. It was the one biome she couldn't easily get supplies for, so she'd created her own on the property. It had taken time, but she and Levy had created a fully sustained biome within the building that only needed to be replenished after larger, carnivorous beasts stayed there. Once she was certain she'd visited everyone, she grabbed her cart again, hoping she'd be able to catch Freed before he left to thank him.

She'd only made it a few steps before Leo stopped her.

The spirit king had been extremely grateful for her assistance saving the Zodiac and the remaining spirits. So much so, that once he'd learned what she was up to, he'd started posting a guard with her every day to ensure her safety when she had more aggressive beasts around. She'd tried to say no, but her spirits had become even more protective of her after the incident and refused to accept that response.

The spirits generally took on different forms when they came for guard duty but she didn't mind. It was a strain on their magic to be on her plane under their own power, so whatever they had to do to be more comfortable was fine with her. Every day was a different spirit, and since she'd managed to collect the last of the twelve Zodiac keys shortly before she'd left the guild, she had a wide variety of companions.

Leo moved to her other side as he spoke to her through their link. _You have company. Someone just pulled in out front and it's not a vehicle I recognize._

"Well then, I guess we'd better hurry." She parked her cart next to a small shed before hurrying towards her home.

As she rounded the side of the house, Lucy found herself unconsciously slowing down. There was a big black truck parked out front with a trailer on the back. That part wasn't too unusual, but what bothered her about it was that there was a very large creature chained down in the back.

"Are you the owner of this establishment?"

Lucy turned towards the front door and saw a man with gray hair tied to one side in a rather unusual looking suit. He pushed up his glasses and he made his way back down the front steps, eyeing Leo warily.

"Yes, I am. My name is Lucy Heartfilia."

"Invel Yura," the man said as he raised a hand towards hers. He gave her a firm handshake and then immediately placed both hands behind his back. "I apologize that we did not call first, but we were unable to find a number."

"Sorry about that," Lucy said. "We've been having some trouble with our phone lines the last couple months. We've had to change it a few times and the phone company still has no answers to why our phones continue to lose service. We'd never turn away a sick beast, though, call or not."

Lucy began to walk towards the trailer, where another man was standing, this one with blonde hair and wearing a white shirt over a black kilt-like garment. "Can you tell me who you've brought?"

"The man is Larcade and the creature on the trailer is my boss's drake." Invel moved to walk with her. "Patches of his scales began turning black four days ago, and we've been unable to deduce a cause. Along with that, he's also been rather sluggish and the little bit that he's awake, he's hostile and refuses to eat or drink."

"That sounds serious," Lucy said as she moved forward to study the drake's hide. Most of his scales were red, except for the black spines along his back and the patches of black scales. When she carefully touched the scales on his side, she expected him to react in some way, but his eyes remained closed and he didn't move an inch in protest.

"I think we should get him off this trailer and into my shed. I have an enclosure that should be plenty big enough for him on the end." She turned around. "Loke, would you mind going inside and checking to see if Freed is still here? I'll need him to reinforce the runes on that enclosure to ensure that this big guy won't be able to get out."

Not many knew about her deal with the spirit king, so while the spirits were around anyone who didn't help her run her operation, she referred to them with other names. Leo nodded and then turned to head for the back door, where he could get Mira's attention.

_I get a bad vibe from these guys_, he said as he left._ Be careful around them._

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**I had to go back through and patch a few things. The site messed up my work every time I copied and pasted it over, so hopefully I fixed everything. If something looks really wonky let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part two! I really should get around to getting some more writing done, instead of just editing… Hopefully soon!**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

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Lucy turned back towards Invel with a smile, silently agreeing with Leo's assessment. "I'll have to go ahead to open the door, but you should have enough space to circle around and bring him down. You'll want to follow the path along the long gray building to the back side. You can back into the building or pull all the way through if you prefer."

Invel gave her a small bow. "We appreciate you accommodating us so quickly. We will make our way down there immediately."

"It's not a problem," Lucy assured him and then turned to hurry down to the building. Once she made her way through and opened the door, the vehicle was quickly backed up and the men left the truck while Lucy deactivated the barrier runes around the enclosure. While the second man began to unchain the drake, Lucy moved to speak with the other.

"I have a few questions if you don't mind," Lucy said. "We try to keep everyone here as comfortable as possible, and when it's a creature that's brought in by people who know it, I like to get as much information as I can to help me keep them happy."

"I can certainly try to answer your questions."

Lucy got momentarily distracted as she watched the massive chains being removed from the trailer. "Why do you have him chained? He doesn't seem to be aggressive."

"We dosed him for the drive, but that's not always effective, so we have to take precautions. We'll be leaving his muzzle on when we leave as well. I'm sure you have your own ways of handling violent beasts in your facility, but he's stronger than he looks. I would advise using the modified muzzle we brought with us."

"I appreciate you telling me." Lucy watched as the beast didn't even flinch as the chains were dropped and clanged noisily right next to him. "Can you tell me about food preferences? Perhaps what temperatures he likes or if he likes being pet or playing?"

"He'll eat whatever he is given and he's okay in any temperature. We are not encouraged to interact with him, so I don't know if he likes to be pet or played with. He's a guard after all. That kind of thing would just distract him."

"Can I assume since he's red, that he was produced from the scales of a fire dragon?"

"I do not know," Invel said. "My boss already had him when I started working for him a few years ago. I can tell you that his fire is very hot, so I think it would be safe to assume that he was."

Lucy slowly nodded as she watched Larcade finish. "Alright. I have a lift that runs the length of the barn, so if you'll just give me a moment to go fetch the controls-"

"That won't be necessary, Lucy," a voice called. Lucy turned and saw Leo returning with Freed a few steps behind him. "I can get him for you."

"Thank you, Freed. I'd really appreciate it." She turned back towards her guests. "Invel, Larcade, this is Freed Justine. He's one of the other members of my guild who comes out to help when he has the time."

"I don't do much," Freed said, "but any help I can offer is worth it for Lucy's cause."

Invel reached forward once Freed had finally joined them. "It is nice to meet you, rune mage." When both Lucy and Freed looked at him in surprise, he gestured to the runes running along the front of all the enclosures. "I assume this work is yours, correct?"

"Yes, it is."

Invel nodded. "I have heard about you. You do remarkable work."

"Thank you," Freed said as he drew his sword. "If you don't mind, I'd like to fix the runes on the enclosure before moving your drake, since he appears to be docile at the moment."

"That is perfectly fine," Invel said as he moved a couple steps away. "Please, don't let us get in your way."

As Freed moved to do his work, Leo sat next to Lucy. _They smell weird. Like chemicals, but chemicals mixed with magic. I'm worried that whatever that drake has was caused by them doing experiments. It's not uncommon for people to do that to beasts like him._

Lucy nodded subtly as she watched Freed. She had suspected the same thing. She'd never had a creature dropped off by an owner, or friend of the owner, who knew so little, and seemed to care even less, about the creature they were asking to be fixed. It wouldn't do for her to give away her suspicions, though, so she kept her thoughts to herself and put a plan together to help the poor thing.

She had been working hard since she'd opened her facility to get measures passed that helped creatures that were being abused by their owners, especially the ones that passed through her facility. It had been a struggle, but now she was able to legally keep creatures from their owners if she was able to prove they were being abused or mistreated. Within the month after they are dropped off, however, if she was unable to prove her suspicions, she had to return the creature and pay a fine. The latter had been the only way she'd been able to get the right parties to agree to her pleas, but she didn't care. She'd much rather have the ability to save the creatures that needed help than not.

Once Freed was done, he placed his hand on the barrier as he lowered his sword. "Mute Runes, Freed Justine." When he removed his hand, all the runes dimmed until they were dark and still. Then he turned towards the trailer and wrote a quick set that created a large box around the drake.

"You may want to step back," he warned as he created another small set of runes and then placed his hand against it. His hand began to glow and then he easily lifted the box, drake and all, and carefully moved him towards the enclosure. He stepped into the space, which was set up to mimic an ordinary forest, and then set the box on the ground. With a couple of swipes from his sword, the enchantments fell away and the drake was left slumbering in peace.

As Freed stepped out and worked on turning the runes back on, Invel returned to Lucy's side. "I apologize for this, but we must return to our boss."

Lucy frowned. "Are you sure you can't stay for a while? He might be more comfortable if one of you were here when he wakes up."

"I'm afraid he's not very fond of anyone but my boss, so it would be a waste. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience, but we really must be going."

"Alright, well before you leave, do you mind leaving a number so I can call and let you know how he is doing?"

"No need," Invel said as he climbed into the truck. "We will return in five days to retrieve him."

"Five days?" Lucy blinked incredulously. "I'm not certain we will have him fixed by then. It would be easier-"

"If he is not ready when we return, we will just have to figure it out on our own," he said as the second man shut his own door. "Have a good day."

As he turned on the truck, Lucy hurried to the open window. "Wait, I really think we should talk-"

"We can't, I'm sorry. We're very busy."

As he put the truck in gear, Lucy grabbed onto the window. "Can you at least tell me what his name is?"

"He doesn't have one," the man said, and then began to drive off.

Lucy hopped out of the way as they left the building and then turned to follow the same path back off of her property.

Leo growled as Freed came to stand next to her. "Lucy, I don't think it would be wise to return this drake to them."

"I was thinking the same thing." Lucy put her hands on her hips as she watched the dust slowly settle. "They don't seem to care at all about him, not to mention that they know nothing about his preferences, and they didn't even give him a _name!_ If they've had him for years, what do they even refer to him as? Animals," she spat as she moved to shut the door.

"At any rate, I've updated the enchantments. I apologize that I can't create a more broad range, but with the limited space, it's better if I'm specific to each creature you put inside them."

"I really don't mind," Lucy said as she moved to watch the drake through the clear barrier. "It's nice having you visit and I'd rather everyone was safe rather than try to save my time. As long as you're okay with continuing to come out, then I don't mind you doing your work in whatever way you prefer."

Lucy's heart ached as she studied the poor creature sleeping just a few feet away. He was obviously sick, and with the way Invel had spoken, he probably didn't get much love or affection, so there was no way to know how he'd respond when he woke up. "Leo, do you mind keeping an eye on him?"

Leo cocked his head as he watched her studying the drake. _You want me to stay here with him?_

"Yes, if you don't mind. I'd like to know the minute he wakes up."

The lion moved to sit next to her and then rubbed his head against her shoulder. _I'll do whatever you want me to do._

"Thank you," she whispered. "I'm just really worried about him."

_I'm sure you'll fix him, so don't worry too much._

"I'm sure we will, too." Lucy stood and turned back towards the rune mage. "Come on, Freed. Since Mira is here, perhaps we can convince her to make us a snack. I think you've earned it."

He returned her smile and then moved into step beside her. "That sounds good to me. See you later, Leo," he called over his shoulder. The lion made a low sound in response and then stretched out next to his new charge.

"So any ideas?" Freed asked.

"Not yet." Lucy sighed. "I've never seen anything like it before, on any creature. Leo thinks that he may have been experimented on. I'm going to try and get a feel for his personality today and have Levy and Gajeel come out tomorrow. Perhaps they can help me."

"It would be good to consult them. Plus, Gajeel would get upset if you had a drake here and _didn't_ tell him."

"Yeah, and I'd rather avoid the scolding if I can manage it." Once they were outside and the shed was sealed up, they continued to make their way towards the house. "I think I'll have Mira make some chicken with broth for him. If he's not eating, perhaps that will appeal to him."

"Perhaps. Couldn't hurt to try."

She nodded and then pulled out a pad of paper from a pocket and a pen from in her ponytail. "Do you mind giving Levy a message for me when you go back? They should still be at the guild hall by the time you return."

"Sure thing," he said.

Lucy quickly scribbled out a message and handed it to him. "I don't think I pay you enough."

He chuckled. "I think it's plenty. The medicine you give me keeps my little guy healthy, so this is the least I can do."

"If you insist. Just let me know if you change your mind."

"Will do."

Freed walked up the steps first and led the way into the kitchen, where Mira called out a hello. Lucy paused at the door to look back at the shed across the yard.

_Don't worry, buddy. We'll figure out what's going on with you_.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Invel?"

"Of course. You heard how upset Zeref was that he was sick. The Heartfilia Rehab center has been the highest ranked magical creature facility for the last four years. If there's anywhere that can fix him, it's that place."

"It just seems like a risk to leave him there alone."

"What is he going to do?" Invel asked. "He's only an animal. We'll be returning before he can be a problem, so stop worrying. He's easier to fix this way, so for now we'll give Ms. Heartfilia her chance. At worst, they might be able to narrow it down for us, and at best fix him."

"But what if they figure it out while they're fixing him?"

"They won't figure out anything because they have no reason to look or suspect. Don't worry so much."

"If you say so," Larcade said with a shrug , then went back to staring out the window.

* * *

_Too bright. Don't like it. Too bright._

_So sick. Don't want to move. So sick._

_Too bumpy. Stop moving. _

_Too bumpy._

_Dark. Nice and dark. Smells nice._

_Moving. Stop moving. Feel sick._

_Soft. So soft. So quiet._

_Warm. It's warm._

_Smells so good. So warm. Like it here._

_More sleep…_

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**_For those that are curious, for my story, I am using the version of drakes that are created with magic from dragon scales. They use the same element as the dragon who gave up their scales, but they have a slightly different physique and no wings. _**


	3. Chapter 3

**So by this point, I've seen up through the Tenrou Island arc, and some of the Infinity Clock. I know Lucy gets the star dresses, but not how she figures it out or really how they all work so hopefully I'm not wrong in assuming Capricorn's would make her faster. I think I saw a clip of her fighting with it once, but let me know if there's a better choice.**

**ABT4Life: I hope things are going well for you! Drakes (my version anyway, which is inspired by a D&D version) are explained a bit in this chapter, and since the drake was drugged during his transport, we may never know if he has motion sickness…**

**Happy Valentine's Day everyone. If no one else has told you yet today, you are wonderful, the world is lucky to have you in it, and I love you.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading.**

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_Lucy laughed as she dodged Natsu's fist. He swung twice more in quick succession before she swung back, missing him as he quickly stepped away._

"_You're getting faster," he said as she kicked at his feet and he hopped up to avoid the blow._

"_Maybe you're just getting slower," she taunted. In Capricorn's star dress, she easily kept up with the series of blows he sent her way. "The great Salamander, unable to catch a little old celestial mage. What will the other dragonslayers say?"_

_Natsu's eyes widened. "What does that mean?! I could catch ya if I wanted to!"_

_She couldn't help herself. Lucy poked at him just a little bit more, readying herself for his response. "Honestly, I had more trouble dodging Gajeel the last time I sparred with him."_

"WHAT?!" _Natsu dashed forward, his speed blinding now, and Lucy struggled to keep up. He always held back a little when they sparred, and if the only way to get him to fight her for real was to bring up Gajeel,then so be it._

_She made it almost ten minutes, a new personal best, before he was able to subdue her. "Ha! I caught ya!"_

_Lucy laughed as she wiped at the sweat threatening to drip into her eye. "You did that a long time ago, Natsu."_

_He failed to catch on to her meaning right away, but when he did, his already pink face, darkened to a bright red. "That's not what I meant."_

_Lucy reached up and pulled him down to kiss him. She could taste the salt of their sweat and smell the campfire smell that followed him everywhere and she revelled in both. His response was swift, like always, and he crushed her mouth under his. Even when he kissed, he treated it like a fight, and he always fought to win. His lips were eager and his tongue even more so as he ate up her moans and then moved to kiss her neck._

"_Ew, Natsu, don't do that, I'm all sweaty," she whined as she tried to push him away._

"_It wouldn't be the first time," he said as he pulled back, his eyes practically sizzling as they locked with hers, his hands moving to grip her hips._

_She chuckled and reached up to push on his chest. "I want to get clean before we do any of that again. It's been days since I got a bath."_

"_We can fix that."_

_Confused, she didn't fight him as he shot to his feet and then picked her up. For a moment, she thought he planned to carry her down the hill, but when he moved towards the nearby cliff, she knew that wasn't the plan. "Natsu, don't you dare!"_

"_What! You said you wanted a bath!" _

"_You have no idea what lives in that lake! I'm not going in there!"_

_Natsu managed to make it to the edge before she broke free. He caught her before she could get away and hugged her close with a sigh. _

"_You know I'd never let you fall on your own right?" Those words, spoken so softly, cause her heart to clench. _

_She was so surprised, her magic faltered and her stardress faded away. "Natsu…"_

_He pulled back suddenly with a grin. "Which is why we're both going in."_

_In a flash, she was in the air, falling dozens of feet into the water below with a scream, Natsu laughing maniacally above her as he followed her down._

_She didn't feel the impact, but it was only a moment after she landed that she began to struggle to make her way back up to the surface. Lucy looked around, but she was so deep in the water, she couldn't tell which way the sun was._

"_Lucy?"_

_She could hear someone saying her name, but couldn't figure out who it was as she continued to sink into the water._

"_Lucy?"_

_Where had Natsu gone? Hadn't he been right behind her?_

_Lucy!_

Lucy jerked awake, her heart beating hard as she looked around for Natsu. It was a few heartbeats before she remembered where she was- and that he was gone- but when she did, tears welled up and instantly fell from her eyes before she could stop them.

_He's awake_, came Leo's voice.

She looked at her side and saw Leo patiently waiting. His gaze sharpened as he looked at her. _Is everything okay?_

"How did you get in?" she asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes, ignoring his question.

_I'm a celestial spirit, Lucy. Do you really think I couldn't open a few doors?_

Lucy sighed and then sat up to stretch. "I suppose. What were you saying?"

_He's awake. The drake. And he's not happy_.

It took a little bit, but eventually Lucy managed to untangle herself from the dream. As Leo's words finally sank in, she shot out of bed. "Damn it, how could I forget?!"

_You were sleeping. Don't worry so much_.

"But the poor thing is freaking out and no one is there to comfort him." Lucy threw on a pair of loose pants over her shorts and yanked a shirt over her tank top. "Come on, I want to get out there quickly."

Lucy ran down the stairs and grabbed the food Mira had put under the heat lamps. She joined Leo at the base of the porch's stairs and grabbed on to his mane as a shimmery circle appeared at their feet and then started flying them towards the shed. Once they arrived, Lucy had to open the door for them, but then they were quickly making their way down towards the drake's enclosure. They came to a stop in front of the space and Lucy groaned quietly as she saw what he had done.

Half of the trees inside had been burned and the other half were in danger of being set on fire as he paced and growled and shot fire out of his mouth.

"Hey now, is this any way to treat my facility?" she demanded.

The drake turned his head her way and stared at her hard with his bright yellow eyes. He slowly turned and stalked back her way.

"Sit down," Lucy whispered to Leo as she sat on the floor and crossed her legs. Leo sat stiffly beside her, obviously unhappy with the command. "All the way." The spirit huffed, but laid down completely on the floor.

The drake moved closer and closer until he bumped against the invisible barrier. He jumped back with a grunt and then roared at the barrier, spitting fire that hit and then spread across the entire space. When he finally stopped, the smoke cleared to reveal burnt grass and shrubs but Lucy and Leo were fine.

"You need to take a deep breath and calm down, bud. Your… handlers brought you to me to help heal you so you don't have anything to worry about, okay?" Drakes tended to be intelligent creatures, so she tried to reason with him. "While you're here, I promise no one is going to hurt you. I only want to help you get better. That's it, I promise."

The drake took a few steps back and then charged them. When he bounced off the barrier, Lucy couldn't help but flinch at the noise. "I'm sorry, but you have to stay in there, for your protection as well as ours. There's a barrier here that's designed to keep you in there and keep you safe. I promise you, you will be let out, but I can't do that until I'm sure you won't hurt anyone, okay?"

Once more the drake growled and shot out another burst of flame. This time, he seemed to cut himself short and then started trying to remove the muzzle around his nose.

Lucy shot to her feet as he desperately scratched. "Hey now, stop that! You're only going to hurt yourself if you keep going like that. Your handlers left that there for a reason, and if you don't start behaving, I won't be able to take it off."

The drake cried out as he finally nicked himself in the eye with a claw and then began to rub his face against the still green grass at his feet.

_He's a lively one_, Leo said.

"He'll wear out soon, if Invel can be believed."

Sure enough, about five minutes later he finally seemed to run out of energy and curled up in the same spot that he had woken up in.

"You don't have much energy do you?" Lucy asked as she leaned down to grab the food at her side. "You need to eat something. I had this made for you. It's mostly chicken, okay? I need you to try and eat. If you don't get some food and fluids into you soon, it won't matter if we figure out what's going on with you, you'll die before we can fix it."

_Lucy, that's a bad idea_, Leo said as she lifted her hand.

"Don't worry, I doubt he has the energy to come after me as he is right now, do you?" she asked. When the drake didn't move, Lucy opened up the large bin at her side.

_Woah, Mira didn't hold back_.

"What do you- _holy cow_ that smells spicy."

_Smells kind of like her fire chicken, _came Leo's response.

"Now that you mention it, it does, just with the broth in it. Well, hopefully he likes it." She raised her hand near the corner of the barrier and said, "Allow tray, Lucy Heartfilia." Once it slid open, she placed the food on the other side and then quickly pulled back her hand so the window closed.

For a little while the drake didn't seem to react. It was obvious once he did, though, because his head shot up and he began to loudly sniff at the air. He moved his head around until he found the source and then slowly pulled himself towards the tray. After a few sniffs and a small lick, he quickly devoured the entire dish. When he finished, he continued to sniff around, looking for more.

"Sorry big guy," Lucy said. "I don't want to give you too much or you'll get sick."

The drake sniffed for a while longer and then curled up, obviously disappointed. He tucked his chin into the grass and sent a look her way.

Lucy blinked several times before she began to laugh. Leo cocked his head and looked her way. _Why are you laughing like that?_

"Don't you see it?" Lucy asked as she gestured at the drake.

_See what? I don't see anything funny about what he's doing_.

"Really?" Lucy turned back, a small smile on her face. "He didn't remind you of someone when he gave me that look?"

Leo blinked and then nodded. _Oh._ He didn't need to ask who she meant.

"Yeah." Lucy's smile twitched slightly. "He looked just like him."

_Natsu…_

* * *

_Warm. Yummy. Want more._

_Good smell. Spicy. _

_Warm smell. _

_Familiar smell._

_Tired…_

* * *

When Lucy woke in the morning, it was to a loud banging at her door. "Hey, Bunny Girl! Time to get up! Your drake is loose!"

His words registered faster than Leo's had the night before and Lucy bolted up, surprised to find herself still in the clothes she'd pulled on the night before. She'd spent a long time just talking to the drake, long after Leo had returned home with the reassurance that she would call him if she needed him. By the time she'd left, he'd been much calmer but she'd been exhausted, having lost out on hours of sleep. She didn't even remember returning to her room.

The clock told her it was after nine, so she was a little surprised that no one had woken her up, and that Gajeel and Levy seemed to have already arrived.

As she ran out of her room, she nearly slammed into Gajeel. "How on earth did he get out?" she asked as she made her way towards the stairs.

"No idea, but we found him wandering around the garden when we got here."

"How could he escape? Freed's runes should have kept him in!"

"Like I said, no idea, but I thought I should let you know before I beat his ass and put him back."

By this point, they had made their way into the kitchen, where Lucy spun on her heel and waved a threatening finger in his face. "You are not going to beat him up when he's sick. I won't allow it."

Gajeel grunted but didn't argue as he followed her out the door. "What's your plan then?"

"I'm going to talk to him," Lucy said as she slipped on her shoes and made her way down the stairs.

Gemini was sitting on either side of the railings and both looked up as she made her way down. "Good morning Miss Lucy," they said. They were one of the few spirits who didn't get so tired in their preferred forms, so they were able to hang out the same as always on the days they played guard.

"Good morning guys. I'm kind of in a hurry," she said as she passed by, Gajeel in tow.

The pair hopped up and floated beside her. "Piri, piri, we saw the beasty in the garden," Gemi said.

"I'm glad he's still there. I'd rather not have to search the forest for him. As long as he stays on the property, it shouldn't be too difficult to bring him back."

"You hope," Gajeel said.

"Hey, I was up with him most of last night. I think I'm making progress with him." As they made it to the edge of the garden, Lucy looked back. "Where is Levy?"

"She was calling Freed, to ask if he could come out here to fix the enclosure."

When they made it to the edge of the garden, Lucy paused. "Do you mind waiting here?"

He frowned at her. "That's a bad idea."

"It's a worse idea to bring you with me. He doesn't know you and may react poorly if you confront him without warning." Gajeel's frown deepened, but Lucy didn't back down. "I have Gemini with me, I'll be fine."

He looked like he wanted to argue, but decided against it after a while. "Fine," Gajeel grunted as he crossed his arms. "All these flowers bother my nose anyway."

"Thank you."

Lucy looked across the garden and saw the drake sniffing around the greenhouse. Her eye twitched as she thought of how much work it would be to fix the enclosure should he break through, so she hurried across the space to get to him. When she was only a few dozen feet away, she stopped.

"Good morning, big guy."

The drake whipped around, his eyes squinted as he looked for her. When he finally found her, he growled low in his throat as he sniffed the air, smoke leaving his nose in clouds.

"How did you get out?" she continued as she slowly walked his way. She was grateful that it was Gemini's day to hang out. They were the smallest of the zodiac and the least likely to be a threat to the drake. "In all the time I've run this facility, I've never had a patient escape. I'm actually kind of impressed."

The drake seemed to lose interest in her greenhouse and instead turned to face her. He continued to sniff the air as she approached, seeming to calm a little as he finally caught her scent. Lucy kept her voice low and even and walked slowly so she wouldn't spook him. It bothered her how much he seemed to be squinting. He should have been able to adjust to the light already, even if he'd only been out for a few minutes.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

The beast's tail began to whip slowly back and forth behind him. He seemed wary, not aggressive, so Lucy stopped when she was about ten feet away.

"I don't know if you remember, but I spoke to you last night. You're at my facility because you're sick and I'm going to try and make you better." She raised a hand and his nose lowered some as he continued to sniff her out. "You don't look very comfortable out here," she continued with a small step forward. "How about we go back inside where it's not so bright? You're worrying my friends by roaming around freely like this."

Lucy took another step as the drake also moved her way. She could feel Gemini grab onto the back of her shirt, ready to yank her out of the way if they needed to.

She didn't blame them; they'd had to do it before.

The drake bumped his muzzle against her hand as he sniffed her. His breath was warm, very warm, and he seemed irritated when he wasn't able to get closer, so she slid her hand into the muzzle and carefully laid it against his nose.

His body jerked a little when her skin met his, but then he leaned into her palm and sighed. "It's okay guys," Lucy whispered to the twins, who let her go, but remained next to her.

Lucy sighed. "Hey big guy."

_Warm. Nice._

_Good smell_

_Stay._

Lucy rubbed the beast's nose as much as she was able through the muzzle. "What do you say we go back to your room? I can look into getting you something to eat then, how does that sound?"

The drake made some positive sounding noises as Lucy removed her hand. "Do you think you can follow my voice? I can help lead you back to your room if you can."

She took some steps back and the drake followed her slowly, his nose continuing to sniff the air as he closed his eyes and followed her, his head only a few feet away. Once they were about half way through the garden, Lucy spoke again. "Hey, I have a friend here who came to look at you. Do you mind if I introduce you two? He's going to walk with us down to the shed, too."

The drake grumbled and looked annoyed as he followed her. "If you want, he doesn't have to touch you, but he does want to look you over a little bit. He's going to help me try and fix you, okay?"

As they finally exited, Gajeel, who had moved a ways off, slowly joined them again. "That was pretty impressive, Bunny Girl."

The drake opened his eyes again when he heard the voice and bared his teeth in Gajeel's direction. Gajeel only chuckled. "Hey buddy, if you wanna fight, I'm more than willing, but Bunny Girl won't like it if we do."

"Hey now, we just talked about this," Lucy said. Feeling bold, she reached up to grab ahold of the muzzle and gently pull the beast's face her way. "He's going to check you over a bit once we get to the shed, okay? I promise he won't do anything to hurt you, he's just here to help. Now come on," she said as she gave his muzzle a small tug. The drake's eyes continued to try and follow Gajeel, but it was no use in the sun. He closed them again and continued to follow Lucy.

"Now I know Mira isn't here today, so I can't guarantee any fire chicken, but I'm sure I can find something that you'll like. How about some steak today? We just got a whole cow in yesterday. I can probably throw in some roast as well if you'd like."

Lucy kept up a one-sided conversation as they slowly made their way across the yard. When they eventually made it to the shed, Lucy saw that the big door had been unlatched and pushed open. It was dented a little from the drake pushing out the bottom, but was mostly functional as she pushed it open and led the drake back inside. Gajeel closed the door behind them, and almost immediately the drake's eyes opened wide and he was able to look around again. He spent some time studying Lucy before Gajeel joined them, who then received all of his attention.

"Hey now, I told you Gajeel was going to look you over. I even waited until we got back here so you could watch him, so you have to be nice, okay?"

The drake growled at Gajeel who just smiled and let his skin change into his iron scales. "You wanna go, big guy? I'm ready to fight you if you are, but make no mistake, I'll win."

The drake only seemed to get more annoyed by Gajeel's challenge. He began to turn his body, his mouth open with flames beginning to lick the edges, but Lucy grabbed onto his muzzle again. "No," she said firmly as she pulled the beast's face her way. "You are going to sit here and behave, you hear me? And you," Lucy said with a glare Gajeel's way. "You behave, too. Just check him over. I only have four days before they return, so I need as much information as I can get before then."

"Yeah yeah," he said, but he dropped the scales and moved to begin inspecting the drake. The beast kept a narrowed eye on Gajeel as he moved around, but Lucy kept pulling his attention back to her as Gajeel studied him.

"I know. How about I tell you how you were made?" The drake watched her with a blank expression as she continued.

"I don't know if you know this, but your kind aren't created naturally. A long time ago, a group of druids, seeking a way to protect their holy lands, were given the secret of how to make your kind... by _dragons_.

"They used scales from a dragon- ten of them, freely given if you wanted the beast to like you- and lots and lots of magic in a ritual that created a magical beast that was very much like a dragon. They didn't have wings, so they couldn't fly, but they could use the same element as the dragon who had donated his scales, and they were just as protective of their space. They defended the druids' holy ground and we're fiercely loyal to their creators, earning them their reputation of being the best and most desired guards across all the world.

"This led to problems with the dragons, however. Most of them didn't want to give up their scales, so the humans and other races that wanted them began to hunt the dragons. You see, the drakes had proven to be nearly as strong as the dragons, but where dragons were hateful and aggressive, the drakes were loyal and compliant.

"Once people began to hunt them, the dragons began to fight back-"

Gajeel interrupted Lucy, ignoring the drake when he became hostile. "Hey, Lucy, you said he's a drake right?"

"Yes, why?"

"I think they lied to you," he said. "Hey, Salamander, you mind rolling onto your side?" The drake's glare increased but Gajeel didn't seem to care. "Either you roll over, or I climb on you, your choice."

"Come on, do what he asked," Lucy encouraged, until the beast finally rolled over with a sigh.

"Just as I thought. Get over here," Gajeel said.

"What is it?" Lucy couldn't help but notice the way the drake kept an eye on her as she moved.

"Look here." Gajeel pointed at the beast's back. "I'm going to have to touch you, big guy, despite what Lucy said." He reached forward and pulled slightly on the scales of the drake's back. "See that? The scar that's hiding in there? There's another one up here." He reached up and spread more of the scales, ignoring the growls from the beast. "I'm pretty sure that's where his wings are supposed to be."

Lucy cocked her head. "What do you mean supposed to be? Drakes don't have wings."

"Exactly." Gajeel began to frown. "I was confused when I first saw him. He doesn't have any horns on his face like drakes usually do, and his body shape is a little off, too. Now that I've seen these, though, I know why he looks the way he does."

"I don't understand," she said, obviously confused

Gajeel's frown darkened. "He's not a drake. He's a full blown dragon who's had his wings cut off."


	4. Chapter 4

**It's late, there's a wide awake baby in my lap, and I just didn't have it in me for video games right now, so editing it is!**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

"_What?"_ Lucy turned back quickly to study the drake. Now that Gajeel mentioned it, he did look very different from how he should. Drakes weren't common anymore, since dragons had become so hard to find, but she'd seen enough pictures she should have noticed the differences.

"He's a lot smarter, too. Drakes are intelligent, no doubt about it, but this guy seems to understand every single word we've said. Isn't that right, you ugly beast?"

The creature's eyes flashed and he turned his head to growl in Gajeel's face. Lucy quickly pulled his head away. "He didn't mean it," she reassured him. "He was just trying to make a point."

"I don't know what they were doing to him, but he shouldn't be so sensitive to the light. I wouldn't be surprised if they were drugging him up, either. He has a faint chemical smell around him I've never smelled on any of your other patients before."

"Leo said he could smell it yesterday, too," Lucy said. "I wonder how they gave him the drugs, though. The man who dropped him off said they drugged him with something to keep him docile for the trip, but didn't say what they gave him."

Gajeel hummed a little and then began to move around the beast, who had already moved back on to his belly. He ignored the creature's growls and glares as he continued to touch and move him around until he finally said, "Found it."

Lucy moved to join him and found Gajeel was pulling on the beast's scales near his elbow. "Here in the crease, there's a scale missing, and he's got a lot of needle marks."

When she saw the flesh he was exposing, Lucy felt her entire body heat up with her anger. "How dare they! How dare they take this beautiful creature's wings and then _drug him!_ He's never going back to those men, not if I have anything to say about it!"

She turned towards the beast and pulled his face towards her. "You are not going back there, do you understand me? We are going to fix you and then we are going to find you a new home. I will not stand by and let such a beautiful creature be abused like this! I refuse!"

The dragon blinked at her a few times before he hummed at her and then rubbed his face against her. The muzzle caught against her clothes and, before she could reconsider her actions, she began to undo the straps.

"Uh, Bunny Girl? What are you doing?"

"I'm taking this thing off," she growled.

"Hey now, I know you're upset, but he is a dragon after all. Perhaps we should at least put him back in his-"

"No. For all I know this thing is hurting him, too. I won't let anything of theirs touch him anymore." When she finally unhooked the last strap, she carefully pulled it away to reveal that she had been right. The muzzle had been strapped on so tight, it had left welts on the dragon's face. There were also spikes inside the muzzle, angled in a way that they would have dug in if he tried to pull it off. Blood oozed from several spots on the drake's nose as he raised a foot to rub carefully against the exposed scales.

"I am so sorry," Lucy whispered. "I didn't know, or I swear I would have taken it off sooner."

As the dragon gave his attention to his newly freed nose, Lucy finally noticed what was happening around her. Gemini had grabbed on to her clothes again and Gajeel, covered once more in shiny scales, was in his battle stance.. Not to mention Levy and Freed had shown up and both looked prepared to fight as well.

Lucy realized too late that her actions might have been a little hasty, but she didn't regret them. Dragons could be very aggressive and territorial, but this one had been nothing but nice that morning, and his actions the previous night could easily be explained away by waking up in an unfamiliar place, alone. Lucy looked up as the dragon stretched out a little. There was blood smeared all over his face, and Lucy moved towards her cart, which was parked nearby, and pulled out a rag. "Hey big guy, how about we go back to your room?"

The dragon looked down at her, and then around them towards the others. He growled as he saw the pair near the door, but Lucy moved forward to place a hand against his neck. "Don't worry, those are my friends do there's no need to be so mean. Come on, let's go back to your room. I need to clean up that blood."

The dragon seemed torn between following her and wanting to keep an eye on the others, so Lucy grabbed onto his neck as best she could and pulled him along with her. He kept his head turned as he followed, one eye on her and one on the others.

As they passed between Gray and Juvia, the pair moved towards the edge of their spaces to watch. The dragon growled at them, but Lucy pulled him forward again and diverted his attention once more.

When Lucy finally reached the enclosure she reached up and placed her hand on the barrier. "Barrier drop, Lucy Heartfilia." The runes all dulled and stopped glowing as the barrier disappeared and she was able to lead the dragon in.

"I don't understand," she heard Freed say. Gajeel began to explain, to both him and Levy, while Lucy led the dragon towards the small river that ran through the back of the enclosure.

"Alright, do you mind bringing your face down here? I want to clean you up, but I can't reach that high."

The dragon, seemingly content that the others would not be entering, lowered his head with a sigh. Lucy got her rag wet in the water and then began to clean him off.

As she worked, he laid down and curled up with his head resting on his feet so she could easily reach.

_Nice. Kind._

_Smells good._

_Warm. Want to stay._

_Live here._

When Lucy was finally done, she realized that he had fallen asleep. Warm breath puffed against her leg as he breathed and she took a moment to study him while he slept. Now that she wasn't being observed, she allowed her thoughts to wander where she didn't typically let them go.

Natsu…

It was uncanny how many of the dragon's expressions looked just like _his_. It had been so many years since she'd seen him, it was a surprise that she could even remember them. Well, perhaps not, considering how close they had gotten before he disappeared.

A familiar pain spread through Lucy and there in the dark, hidden from her comrades and alone with a beast who wouldn't judge her even if he was awake, she allowed herself to shed a few tears.

It had been nearly six years since she'd seen Natsu. When he had told her about a rumor he'd heard concerning the brother he had lost when he was young, she'd been more than happy to let him go and look for him. When he hadn't returned or sent word after a couple months, she'd begun to worry. He was Natsu, though- no one could defeat Natsu. She was sure he was just busy following the trail and he would return any day, either with a brand new brother in tow, or upset that he hadn't found him. Either way, she'd looked forward to his return.

After six months she had begun to despair.

It hadn't been easy to keep working, when the only man she'd ever truly loved had disappeared, but she'd tried. Her father had reached out around that time, trying to make amends with her and forge a new relationship. It had been nice, for a while, spending time with him and becoming closer, until she'd found out that he'd only done it in an effort to marry her off in some elaborate scheme. Again. When she'd cut off contact, she had never expected to hear from him again, especially not in the form of his lawyer telling her he'd left all of his wealth to her.

That had happened nearly ten months after Natsu had left. With that money, and the consistent ache in her chest every time she was at home or the guild, she'd decided she needed a change of scenery, a change of pace.

Since she had opened this facility, she had done well keeping herself distracted. At least once every day she thought about Natsu and wondered where he was and what he was up to, but it didn't hurt so much anymore. She could finally think about him without crying, at least some times, and her friends didn't instantly begin to worry when his name came up in conversation. There were still times, like now, when she couldn't hold back the pain and she had to let the tears fall, but those instances were few and far between now.

It was getting closer to that time of the year, though, and she found that she was more sensitive about the subject around the anniversary of his departure.

The head near her suddenly lifted, and the dragon carefully settled his nose in her lap. When Lucy looked up, those bright eyes were fixed on her. The dragon rubbed his nose against her and settled more firmly into her lap with a purr.

Lucy chuckled as she wiped at her eyes. "Don't worry, bud, these aren't because of you. I'm just remembering… an old friend."

She looked past the beast and noticed the others were trying to get her attention. When Levy waved at her to join them, Lucy patted the dragon with both of her hands. "Alright big guy, I have to get up. I gotta go get you some food, and there are a few others I have to go check on as well." The dragon moved his head a bit so she could stand. As she started to leave, he made a questioning sound and stood to follow her.

The blonde raised her hands to stop him. "Sorry buddy, but you have to stay here. I'm not sure yet what you have and I can't risk you passing it on to the others, okay?"

The dragon seemed to frown and stomped his feet. He huffed, sending out a cloud of smoke as he moved to walk past her, but Lucy moved in the way and stopped him with two hands to his chest. "Now you listen here," she said in a firm voice. "You are going to behave and stay here for a while, got it? I have work to do, and if you want to eat today, I have to get to that work, alright? I will be back to visit you in a while, but you have to listen to me, is that understood?"

The dragon grumbled again, but he sat down and remained there as she turned to leave again. When the barrier was put back up, she finally looked back at him. He'd curled up and buried his chin and nose behind his feet. He was giving her the same look he had the previous night, just like she remembered a certain pink haired dragon slayer doing, and she felt a smile creep up onto her face.

"I apologize, Lucy," Freed said.

"It's not your fault," she said. "I didn't notice he wasn't a drake either, so I don't blame you for what happened."

"Still, I want to ask for your forgiveness."

"You can have it, if that makes you feel better, but it really wasn't your fault," she said again.

Just then a small hand slapped her in the back of her head. Gemini moved to float nearby as Lucy turned towards a glaring Levy. "Lucy, are you crazy?!"

A growl started on the other side of the barrier and both women looked over as the dragon lifted his head and opened his fire filled mouth. "Easy," Lucy said. "She didn't hurt me, so don't get so angry."

The dragon closed his mouth, but the growl didn't stop and he continued to glare at Levy.

"How about we head back to the house?" Lucy said as she began to lead the way.

Levy waited until they were far enough away the dragon couldn't see them before she reached up and smacked Lucy again.

"Ow," Lucy hissed as she rubbed her head.

"Are you crazy?" she asked again but with a little less venom.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy asked as she continued to rub her head.

"You find out that the drake you're caring for, who _got loose_, is actually a _dragon_, a species that is much more aggressive, and instead of knocking it out or letting Gajeel handle him and get him back in his cage, you _took off his muzzle!_"

"I told you I don't like referring to them as cages," Lucy said, her anger coming through. "And I'm sorry I didn't start with Gajeel's beat-him-up-and-put-him-back plan. He's not that hostile- I wanted to try and make friends before using force."

Levy pointed behind them. "His enclosure is half burned up. How is that not hostile?"

"He only did that when he first woke up. He was just confused and alone and scared. He's been great all morning, so I'm sorry if I showed some compassion!"

"I'm not upset about that, Lu, I'm worried that you don't seem to want to acknowledge that what you did was dangerous! What if he had attacked you?"

"I had Gemini right there," Lucy said. "If I had needed it, they would have gotten me out."

"Lucy, you can't keep using the presence of your spirits to defend your reckless actions!" Levy stepped closer and grabbed her hands. She made sure to have Lucy's full attention before she spoke again, in a much quieter tone. "Listen, I know that you're upset that Natsu is gone. I know that you still expect him to come home. I know that you don't actually want to get hurt, or worse, but the way that you are acting is not healthy. It's been five years since he left-"

"Six," Lucy corrected.

"Fine, six years." Levy sighed and then squeezed her hands before letting them go. "Lu, I'm worried about you. I thought getting this place would be good for you, and for a while it was, but I can't just stand around and watch you pull stunts like this. I think you should talk to someone."

"I talk to plenty of people," Lucy said as she turned and started heading back towards the house.

"That's not what I mean, Lu!" As Levy moved to follow her, Freed and Gajeel stayed, giving them some space before they moved to follow the pair.

"So what do you think?" Freed asked.

"About what?"

"Lucy." The green haired man pulled his hair out of his face. "Do you agree with Levy?"

"I think Lucy does take some unnecessary risks, but I think she thinks them through more than Levy gives her credit for. She was very cautious this morning with the dragon in the garden. She gave the beast ample time to react if he was going to. I didn't see a hint of aggression in his actions. Hell, he didn't seem to get mean until I got close, so it's obvious he likes her." Gajeel shrugged. "I don't know, her spirits were more than ready to react if they needed to, so I didn't see a reason to stop her. I think she's fine. Everyone does dangerous things for the rush, right? Who am I to stop her, as long as she's safe about it?"

Freed nodded. "I didn't see her this morning, but I have seen her with some rather dangerous visitors in the past. She trusts too much, but you're right, she's always prepared for the worst. Once she's assessed the creatures who come here, she respects the threat they present and doesn't risk getting hurt a second time."

"So why don't you say something?" Gajeel asked as they exited the building. The women were already halfway to the house, shouting now as they continued to argue.

"I don't think it's my place," Freed said. "She's your wife, why don't you say something?"

"I'll mention something later, but I'd rather not get between her and Bunny Girl. Lucy is her best friend and I know better than to try and get in the middle when they're like this."

"That's smart." As they started across the yard, Freed asked, "Are you up for some coffee? Mira isn't here today, but I can make a pot almost as good as hers."

Gajeel grinned. "I'll be the judge of that."

As they reached the porch, Levy's voice rang out across the yard. "Damn it Lucy, stop being so stubborn!"

The men paused next to the steps. "How about a walk first?" Gajeel asked.

Freed swept an arm away from himself. "I'm right behind you."

* * *

_Warm. So warm. _

_Familiar. Smells familiar._

_Don't cry, no more tears._

_Tears hurt, no more tears._

_Want to follow._

_Want to stay close._

_Want to protect._

_Lucy… _


	5. Chapter 5

**This one started out a reasonable length, but once I started adding scenes, it just kept growing… I'm not done fixing the original, but I cut it in half so I could get you an update. Enjoy.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading.**

* * *

Once Levy and Lucy had come to a momentary truce, they returned to the shed.

"Alright big guy, let's get a look at those spots, shall we?" Levy leaned forward to check out the black scales on the dragon's side, ignoring the angry looks he was giving her. Lucy moved to stand between them and gave the beast a frown. He huffed, but turned away and laid his head back down.

"I've been looking through the books here, but with the inclusion that he's actually a dragon, plus the fact that he's been pumped full of chemicals, I can't begin to guess what might be wrong." Lucy frowned and leaned forward to run her hands over the dragon's side, causing him to purr.

Levy frowned as she studied the scales in the light she'd brought. "Yeah, and I've never heard of any sort of illness causing the scales to change color like this. If they were falling off or becoming damaged that would be a different story, but the scales and skin are just turning black.

"He does seem to be pretty lethargic for his kind, but that could just be from whatever they gave him." Levy sighed as she pulled away. "I think we should do a cleanse. Porlyusica might have something we could use to quickly detox him. Our first step should be to clear out whatever is in his system."

Lucy nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Do you think you'd be up for going to visit her? I could call her I suppose. Ever since she took that dwarf roc we healed, I've been able to get quite a few medicines without her having to visit, which I think she's grateful for."

Levy chuckled. "Of course she is. She gets to do her job without interacting with people, why wouldn't she be thrilled? She's even used that bird to send stuff to the guild when she's sure she doesn't need to do an in person exam."

Taking a chance, Lucy leaned against the dragon, causing Levy's head to snap up. There was a rumble in the dragon's chest, but all he did was adjust himself and then continue to purr quietly. Levy raised her eyebrows at Lucy, who only smiled. "You're awfully brave," Levy said. "Although he obviously likes you, so I guess you can afford to be." She slid a finger under some of the black scales.

"How hard do you think it would be to remove one of these? Dragons shed scales, right? If we could get one of these to bring to Porlyusica, maybe she could take a look and give us something to work with. This one is pretty loose, maybe we could take it off."

"That's probably a good idea." Lucy dug around in her apron pockets and pulled out a small knife. "Here, I'll go keep him from eating us while you get it."

Levy's eyes bulged out of her head. "Excuse me? He likes you, not me. Why don't you do the dangerous part?"

"I'm going to be right next to his face," Lucy said. "That seems like the dangerous part to me."

Before Levy could say more, Lucy moved around to stand next to the dragon's face. "Hey bud, do you mind if we take a scale to help us figure out what's going on with you? Levy found a loose one, so it shouldn't hurt too much to take it the rest of the way off." The dragon lifted his head and rubbed his nose against her stomach. "Are you okay with that?" she asked again. "We just want one of the scales."

Once more, he rubbed against her before turning his head towards Levy. He lifted his torso and turned so his head was next to the patch Levy had been studying. After he sniffed around a bit, he opened his mouth and rubbed his teeth across the patch of scales. After a couple passes, the one Levy had pointed out was pushed free. Levy jumped a little as it bounced off the ground next to her. Once he was done, the drake turned back to Lucy and curled his neck around her.

"I was not expecting that," Levy said as she leaned down to grab the scale.

_Stay. Warm._

_Familiar._

_Good smell._

_Don't leave._

"I doubt that's the way scales typically come off, but at least we didn't have to figure it out ourselves." Lucy rubbed her hands over his neck and head. "Do you want me to go visit Porlyusica, or do you want to?"

"I think I will. I want to go through some books in the guild's library anyway, so I'll already be heading that direction."

"Sounds good." Levy grabbed her tools, and after handing the knife back to Lucy, headed for the barrier.

"Okay bud, I gotta go too, okay? I have to visit Gray and Juvia again. Not to mention we got new visitors out in the greenhouse I have to go assess. You'll be okay for a while."

_Stay with…_

_Don't leave._

_Familiar._

_Stay…_

Lucy had to put her hand on his nose as he moved to follow her. "No, you stay, okay? I'll be back later to see you."

The dragon was obviously upset with her demand and stomped his feet as he grumbled and growled. Lucy put her hands on her hips and frowned until he finally calmed down. "We talked about this. You have to stay until we're sure you won't infect the others. If you're going to keep being like this, then I will have to stop coming to visit and start feeding you the fake meat we sometimes get in. Do you want that?"

The dragon lowered his head and grumbled as he curled up. Lucy waited, but he just looked away and sighed, obviously unhappy but compliant for the moment.

"That's better," she said as she moved towards the barrier and raised her hand. "Allow exit, Lucy Heartfilia." Levy quickly exited ahead of Lucy, leaving the dragon alone to grumble and moan on his own.

"You've mentioned your fake meat before. What is it?" Levy asked.

"Some vegan stuff. It has all the right nutrients, but it doesn't taste as good. It's the easiest way I have to punish the really naughty creatures that come out here. It works most of the time, so I try to keep a little on hand all the time."

"That's right, I'd forgotten."

"So do you wanna do lunch before you leave?" Lucy asked.

"We probably should. I imagine Gajeel is getting hungry by now." Levy glanced over her shoulder as they left. "So, any ideas on what you're going to do with him?"

"What kind of question is that? I want to help him get better of course." She paused at her cart to return her apron and tools.

"I meant after. What's your plan when the men who dropped him off return for him?"

"I will explain to them that I will not be returning him and get an address to send the paperwork if they'd like to fight me to get him back. I can't just let them have back a creature that they maimed and possibly tortured. I didn't get permission to save abused magic creatures just so that I could turn my back on the first one that came along."

"I'm glad," Levy said as they began to walk again. "Any idea how they'll react?"

"No doubt they'll be pissed." Lucy looked up as Gemini moved in closer to her. "They gave me a bad vibe; Leo didn't like them either. I'm actually really worried about what they're going to do once I talk to them. I was going to ask if you and Gajeel would be willing to be here when they're planning on returning. I'm going to have Mira and Freed here too, as well as Leo and whoever my guard is that day."

"Anything for my girl," Levy said. "You just tell us when and we're here."

"Thanks Levy." Lucy opened the door for them to leave and secured it behind them. "Well let's go get some lunch. I put a soup together this morning; it should be done by now."

"That sounds pretty good." Levy elbowed her. "Let's hope Gajeel hasn't gotten to it already."

"Do you really think he would do that?" When Levy gave her a knowing smile, Lucy groaned as she put her face in her hands. "He would, no doubt about it. Come on," she sighed. "If he has eaten it all, I have the ingredients for sandwiches instead."

"Sounds good," Levy said, obviously okay with either outcome.

* * *

"It's really great to see you Erza." Lucy set down her tray right in front of her friend before taking her seat.

"And you as well," the red head answered as she grabbed a piece of cake. "How have you been?"

"Mostly good. I've had a rather difficult guest recently but we're working through it."

"I'm glad. I don't like having to worry about you out here on your own."

Lucy knew where that train of thought was going and cut it off immediately. "I'm not coming back to Magnolia." When Erza opened her mouth to speak again, Lucy cut her off. "Was Jellal too busy to come too?"

Erza sighed. "You know I support any decision you make, Lucy. It's the others that really worry. Especially after those people came asking about you."

"What people?"

"You don't know? I thought Levy would have told you about them."

"She didn't tell me about anyone. Who were they?"

"A pair of men. The one who did all the talking called himself Inve. I'm sorry but I don't remember the other's name. They were asking where you had gone and what you were up to. They claimed to be fans of yours, but they kept referring to you as Dragneel, which I found suspicious since you kept Heartfilia as your professional name."

"It was safer for Natsu and I," Lucy said offhandedly as she thought over the new information. Why would the pair be asking about her? And was that how they found her? Had they brought the drake as an excuse to see her for some reason? And if they had… then why?

"What's wrong? You look upset." Erza leaned forward, her cake forgotten. "Tell me."

"It's just that you're describing the men that dropped off the dragon a couple days ago."

"Dragon? I thought you had a few drakes, not a dragon."

"The people that dropped him off claimed he was a drake but we figured it out." Lucy crossed her arms as she leaned back a little. "The more I learn about them, the weirder this whole situation becomes."

"When did you say they were returning?" Erza asked.

"In a couple days."

Erza's gaze sharpened. "I would very much like to be here when they return."

Lucy smiled. "I think I'd appreciate that. It seems the longer he's here, the more reason I have to worry about his handlers returning. At this rate, I'm going to have an army of wizards here when they come back for him."

"I will make sure Jellal joins us as well," Erza said as she stood, her cake forgotten.

Lucy looked up at her with wide eyes. "Are you leaving already?"

"I think so. I have some questions that can't be answered by being here." Erza gave Lucy a smile as the blonde stood. "Don't worry, I promise to be back in time for their arrival. In the meantime, good luck with him."

Just then, the dragon's call came through loud and clear through the open window. Lucy sighed as she followed Erza toward the door. "I think I'm going to need it. I'm not sure what to do with him." As they stepped outside, Lucy could hear him even better. "If he was making noise because he was in pain or suffering in some way, I wouldn't mind so much, but he's just upset that he's alone."

"Do you have anyone who could keep him company?"

"Not really. None of my current guests would do well in the enclosure across from him, and when I tried sending Gemini there to keep him company, he got even more upset." Lucy huffed. "It seems he wants to be around me."

Erza smiled a little. "A sick dragon who only wants to spend time with you. Now where have I heard that one before?"

Lucy swallowed hard. "Natsu was a dragon slayer, Erza. It's a little different."

"I suppose." Erza's gaze softened a little. "I hope you don't take offense."

Lucy rushed to reassure her. "I don't, really. You're the only one who will bring him up in casual conversation anymore. I hate that the others try to pretend like he doesn't exist. It doesn't make it any easier for me."

Lucy turned toward the building where the dragon continued to make a ruckus. "Honestly? It's kind of nice having that beast here. It's been a long time since anyone has wanted my company so much. I'll be sad to see him go."

"Just remember," Erza said with a hand on her shoulder. "We still want you at the guild, if you ever change your mind."

"I know." As Erza headed down the steps towards her car, Lucy called out once more. "Tell everyone I say hi, and they're welcome to come visit any time."

"Will do." With a final wave, Erza entered her vehicle and left.

Lucy took a deep breath before she started heading down towards the shed. She decided that Gray had earned some time outside his enclosure, and Juvia had been good enough she could open the last section of caves under her enclosure.

That way they could get some time away from the dragon without her having to go scold him again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Things are about to get a little more hectic around my place soon. We're working on getting our house ready to sell and looking for new houses (with two very small children around,) so this may take longer to get finished than I initially thought it would. Be that as it may, I am still going to finish it. Promise.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

That evening, after the dragon's first full day on her property, Lucy found herself in her room, alone. After returning Gray to his enclosure and checking on the other patients, she'd scolded the dragon one more time before returning to her house. She was the only one left awake inside, since she'd already sent Gemini home, and she was trying to enjoy the quiet, but she found that she was too restless for that.

Gray was healing up nicely and would be able to be brought back home as soon as he was able to use his wings again. Juvia's color had returned and her illness seemed to be just about gone, so she would also be able to leave soon.

The drakes were a little more worrisome, since they still hadn't pinpointed the reason for their illness, but the medicine they'd been giving them to help had actually been making them better, so she was hopeful they'd be well enough to go home soon, too.

The dragon was a whole other story, but seemed to be doing better at any rate, so Lucy wasn't as worried about him.

She tended to stress a lot over her patients, but she knew they weren't the problem this time.

It was the date that was coming up.

Had it really already been six years?

She looked across the room. On the far wall, there were two floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled to the brim with books, except for the corner of the very top shelf. The wooden box sitting there called out to her, but she resisted.

"_Oh, and when you start to miss me too much, I left you something under my side of the bed that should help."_

Lucy clutched her covers as she thought back to her old apartment. It had been her sanctuary after she'd left the house she'd shared with her parents, and had remained her home for years. Even after Natsu had moved in, very little had changed. He'd continued to enter at all hours through the window. He'd continued to sneak into her bed when she'd fall asleep before him. He'd continued to raid the fridge without refilling it. There wasn't a part of that apartment that he hadn't gotten into or left his memory on.

Her new house, on the other hand, was very different.

The people there never went into things they shouldn't or without asking.

They never entered through the windows.

They brought food to refill the fridge and pantry.

They knocked before coming in.

And the bed had never been used by anyone but her.

She cut off her train of thought and got to her feet to shut off the lights. Then she leaned over and checked to make sure the window above her bed was unlocked, like she always did, before she finally curled up under her covers.

Despite not wanting to, tears began to fall and soak into her pillow. It wasn't long, though, before she was interrupted by the dragon beginning to cry again. She tried to ignore him, but he continued to call out, growing more insistent the longer he went. Angry, she eventually jumped to her feet and stalked through the house. With no one around, she could make as much noise as she wanted so she slammed the door as she exited the house and stomped towards the shed. By the time she made it to his enclosure, she was blood boiling mad.

Lucy was tired of his whining, and tired of his incessant need to have her around. He was getting punished, and that would be the end of it. She'd saved that shed in the woods for instances just like this, and she was going to use it, damn it.

Except, when she finally made it to the enclosure, and the dragon noticed her, she found that she couldn't do it. The dragon got so excited to see her, he was smiling and pacing back and forth on the other side of the glass as he waited for her to come in. When she didn't immediately join him, his features grew worried and he lowered his head to study her closer. He butted at the barrier as he tried to reach her, and then whined when she refused to get closer.

"We've talked about this," she said quietly. The dragon instantly dropped his head, knowing that he was in trouble. "I can't be out here all the time, you know that."

The dragon whined and then rolled onto his back, his eyes on her the whole time. As he continued to stare, Lucy felt her resolve crack. Those bright depths, so focused on her… So familiar, despite the color...

When he hummed at her again, a soft, almost apologetic sound, she felt her resolve crumble. With a sigh, she lifted her finger towards him, and headed for the storage room.

It wouldn't be the first time she'd slept on the floor for a night.

* * *

"Good morning, Lucy!" Mira balanced the bags in her arms as she closed the door behind her. "You're up early."

Lucy glanced up with bleary eyes from her seat at the table. A cup of coffee sat in front of her, but the steam had long since stopped rising. "Yeah, I've been up for a while."

"What's wrong?"

"The dragon," Lucy answered. "Do we have any of that vegan meat we got a while back?"

"We do."

"I need the dragon's morning portion made up with that," Lucy said.

"Oh? Do you really think he'll like it?"

"No, and that's the point."

Mira giggled as she started putting away her supplies. "What did he do?"

"He whined all day yesterday, and when he started up again last night, I finally agreed to go out there and sleep next to his enclosure." Lucy groaned as she laid her head down again.

"That wasn't enough for him?"

"Oh, it was, " Lucy mumbled into the tabletop. "It's just that he's so loud when he sleeps, I couldn't sleep next to him." She groaned even louder. "And every time I tried to leave, he woke up and whined until I agreed to stay again.

"I'm going to see if Freed can return today to add a sound buffer to his enclosure. I don't want to encourage his behavior longer than I have to."

"Well I know Freed was going to be coming out around lunch, so you can ask him then. He's upset that his first set of runes didn't work, so he's been stressing about them and said he wanted to come check on them again."

"Good." Lucy sighed as she pushed herself to her feet. "I have to go bring Gray and Juvia their medicine. Since I'm awake, I might as well go out now and take care of that. Plus, I have snacks for them to apologize for the disturbance last night."

"I'll work on getting their meals started and then put something together for us, how does that sound?" Lucy grunted as she slowly made her way towards the medicine cabinet in the corner. "I'll also make some coffee for us as well, how does that sound?"

Another grunt was Lucy's only response. Once she had the appropriate pills and treats, she stuck them under her arm and headed out. "I'll be back soon," she said.

"Good luck," Mira called, already working on two different bowls.

Lucy slowly made her way across the yard with a big yawn. It really was too early, not to mention she'd been up half the night trying to deal with that obnoxious dragon. It was going to be rough making it through the day.

She dealt with Gray and Juvia quickly, since they were both sleeping when she visited. Once she was done, she headed towards the dragon's enclosure to check on him. He was laying exactly as she had left him, with as much of his body pressed up against the barrier as he could manage. He was snoring loudly, with two of his limbs splayed out away from the barrier and his mouth wide open.

Lucy turned and made her way back up to the house. She'd rather not wake him up and deal with his nonsense just yet. Maybe she could manage a quick nap before their food would be ready. Just before she made it to the house, she remembered the other patients they had in the greenhouse. With a groan, she turned and made her way towards the garden.

Their newest patients were a pair of drakes, both created recently, and in much younger forms than she was used to seeing. She'd made certain to check that they were actually drakes this time before accepting them, since she wasn't sure if she could handle more than one dragon at a time.

One had been created from the scales of a shadow dragon and the other from a light dragon. They were an odd pair, but they seemed friendly enough. The light drake, Sting, seemed more mischievous while the other one, Rogue, seemed more subdued. Since she'd been unsure how the dragon would respond to their presence, she'd decided to put them in the greenhouse, where their scent wouldn't reach him and cause problems.

She walked around the perimeter of the greenhouse, easily finding the light drake where he was pretending to hunt some of the birds, but the other one seemed to be hiding. Lucy quickly entered the door once she reached it, just barely closing it in time for Rogue to appear behind her as he tried to escape with his shadows.

"We talked about this, Rogue," Lucy said as she dug in her pockets. "If you guys want to get better, you have to stay in here."

The solid black drake blinked up at her with his one good eye, the red color shining bright against his dark scales. He didn't get upset or try to fight her; instead he just slunk off towards the other end of the greenhouse, coughing a little as he moved away.

Sting quickly climbed down the center tree and came to sniff at her. Unlike with the dragon's arrival, the owner of these drakes had assured her that the pair weren't aggressive, and had given her quite a lot of information about them so she would have an easier time dealing with them.

Whatever they had seemed to be some sort of advanced cold, but it came and went, so Yukino had worried that it would progress past a point where she could fix it and brought them to Lucy. Lucy had been more than willing to help her out, especially since she was an old acquaintance.

Although, she was still very curious about how Yukino had stumbled upon the pair.

Lucy drew out the bag of dried meat, causing Sting to pace circles around her. "I know, buddy, I know. Here you go." She pulled out one of the bigger chunks and tossed it into the air. He spun around and jumped up to catch it before it had even started to fall. He landed gracefully at her side and chewed the piece a few times before swallowing it and trying to dig into the bag for more.

She laughed as she pulled out another piece. "Alright, one more." Before she could toss it, though, Sting began to cough. It lasted longer than Rogue's, and he began to make hacking noises, eventually throwing up on the stones near her feet. Once he had finished, he seemed to sway a little on his feet before moving off the path and curling up under a tree nearby.

Rogue appeared almost immediately and curled up next to him. He laid his head on his friend's side and then glanced her way before closing his eye. Sting huffed out a breath, followed by one from Rogue, before moaning a little and then curling up more tightly.

Lucy moved forward when she saw him start to shiver. "Alright big guy, let me have a look at you." She carefully reached forward and ran her hands over the drake's head. When he didn't respond, she allowed her hands to roam a little more freely over his body. His skin was cold, colder than it should be, but he also had hot spots on his head and neck.

"It's probably a good thing I put you guys in here. You'll be able to stay warmer here than in one of the other enclosures we have. Rogue, I'm going to check you quick, okay?" Lucy reached over and carefully laid her hand on his head and got the same response, so she quickly ran her hands over his scales as well.

"I don't feel anything on you yet. It seems you only have the cough. I think I have something inside I'd like to try, so I'll come out a little later. You take care of him while I'm gone." Rogue opened his eye and made a quiet noise before closing it again. Lucy stood and left, still careful to keep an eye on the pair as she opened the door.

Once she was back up at the house, she found Mira hard at work. It seemed she had finished preparing three of the meals and was currently working on the last two along with their breakfast. "So, anything exciting happen?" she asked.

"One of the drakes is getting worse, so I can finally observe his sickness. The other one just has a cough, but that's more than they had yesterday, so it's something to work with. Did Levy and Gajeel tell you if they were coming today?"

"Levy mentioned last night that they had a quick job they were going on today, so I don't know if they'll be coming."

"Alright, that's fine. I just-" Lucy cut herself off and turned towards the door. There was a brief silence before she heard the dragon call out again. Her hands curled up into fists and she threw back her head and growled for all she was worth. "That _beast_ needs to shut his mouth. I get that he doesn't like to be alone, but I can't stay with him all the time! He needs to learn to entertain himself!

"And why hasn't Porlyusica gotten back to me yet? I expected that roc out here by now with something to flush his system. Why hasn't she sent anything yet? I want to figure out what he has so I can find him a new home and send him to it!"

As she tried to calm her breathing, Mira just smiled at her. "Do you feel better?"

"No." Lucy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "A little. I'm sorry," she sighed. "I'm just tired."

"I understand. Here." Mira held out a thermos and a large bag. "Drink the coffee and go punish the dragon. That might make you feel better. Which spirit is visiting today?"

"I'm not sure," Lucy answered as she sipped the coffee. "They used to rotate on a schedule, but they've been changing it up recently, so I guess we'll see once they show up."

Mira nodded as she bagged up the other two meals and handed them to her. "Here, this will make them easier to carry. I saw that your cart wasn't on the porch, and I don't want you to drop any of them."

"Thanks Mira, you're the best. Will you let me know if Porlyusica calls?"

"Absolutely. Now go, I'm sure the sprite and mermaid aren't happy with your troublemaker out there."

Lucy ground her teeth as the dragon's calls became more persistent. "As soon as Freed is here, I need to know."

"You got it!" Mira called as Lucy left the house.


	7. Chapter 7

**This website is starting to irritate me. I've been having a lot of problems with it turning my stories into a giant blob of nonsensical text and having to go back through and fix everything at least once before I can post each chapter. On the plus side, my children are wonderful, and even though I don't get as much time to do basically anything on my own, I'm okay with that. For now.**

**As always, thanks for the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Lucy grabbed the last two meal bags and then made her way out of the house. Halfway to the shed, there was a small pop and a small lamb appeared at her side.

_Sorry I'm late, miss._

"Good morning, Aries," Lucy said. "It's okay that you didn't show up sooner. I've been up most of the night, so you weren't going to beat me out here anyway. How are you today?"

_I'm fine._

"Good, I'm glad. I don't know if Leo or Gemini mentioned anything to you, but I've kind of got my hands full at the moment."

_Leo did mention something about a dragon. I'm sorry that we were talking about you!_

"It's okay, I don't mind. I just want to apologize in advance, because I'm going to have to be mean today. The dragon that's staying here doesn't want to follow the rules so there's going to be some punishment coming his way."

_Yes ma'am._ Lucy stopped as they entered the shed to put the food for the other two on her cart and wheeled it down between their enclosures. She could see Gray hiding in the back of his area, hands over his ears as he tried to block out the noise.

As they finally arrived in front of the last enclosure, they found the dragon facing away from the barrier, calling out towards the back of the space. Lucy had a sneaky suspicion he was doing it to make his voice louder, but didn't have any way to prove it.

"Alright big guy, it's time to calm down!" Lucy yelled as she set down the last bag.

The dragon didn't seem to hear her, so she called a few more times to no avail. Aries started to shake next to her, obviously distressed by all of the noise. Lucy patted her and told her to stay outside, then moved forward to open the barrier and enter it. "Hey!"

The dragon still didn't seem to hear. Lucy, who was already too tired and annoyed to deal with his temper tantrum took a deep breath before screaming at him once more. "Damn it, Dragneel, pull yourself together!"

That finally caught the dragon's attention. When he turned around, his eyes lit up and he quickly moved in her direction. When he tried to nuzzle her, she put her hands in the way and pushed him back. "No, this is not acceptable. I am not going to come running every time you put up a fuss. I have other things I need to do, and until you prove that you can behave, you have to stay in here. You get one more chance," she said as she waved her finger at him.

"If this keeps up and I have to scold you again, then I'm moving you to the shed in the woods, do you understand? It is old, and dark, and reinforced, so I promise you will not be able to get out. Plus, it's soundproof, so no one will have to listen to your whining anymore. Do you understand? This is your last warning."

The dragon lowered his head and grumbled quietly. He hesitantly lifted and dropped his head a few times as he reached forward to nuzzle her again. Lucy let him suffer for a little bit before she reached out and rubbed the top of his head. "I forgive you, for now. You need to start behaving though, alright? If you can prove to me that you can behave, I would consider letting you come out onto the property a little more. I know you're struggling with the light, but you could explore at night once the sun goes down. First you need to show me you can behave, okay?"

The dragon blew out some smoke and then began to purr as he leaned into her hand.

"Alright, well for now, I have your breakfast and I need to go feed the other two. Then I have to go take care of the two in the greenhouse. I will come visit you, later okay? But only," she stressed the word, "if you behave."

The dragon pulled back and chirped again as he sat. Lucy nodded at him and then left. Once she was outside, she reached into the bag to grab his food.

_Is he really a Dragneel, miss? Is he… is he Natsu?_

The name, coming from Aries of all people, almost threw Lucy off. "What are you talking about, Aries? He's just a dragon."

_I'm sorry! The spirit began to shake again. It's just that you called him Dragneel, and Natsu is the only one I know!_

Lucy paused, the dragon's food in her hands. "Did I?"

_Yes ma'am._

"Huh." She moved to open a space to put the food inside the enclosure and then moved to clean up the bag. "He does remind me of Natsu, a lot sometimes. I didn't realize I'd called him by Natsu's last name though. It must have been because I was so annoyed. I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."

A roar suddenly sounded from the dragon's enclosure and Lucy turned around to watch him grumble and poke at his food with his claws. "Sorry buddy, but that's what you get for keeping me up all night. If you misbehave you get punished. As long as you don't keep acting like a spoiled brat, I won't feed that to you all day."

He gave her a look that felt an awful lot like betrayal before he grunted and moved far away from the food and then glared. Lucy couldn't find it in herself to feel bad as she grabbed her bag and headed back towards her cart.

_Um, Miss Lucy?_

"What's up?"

_Have you noticed… his scars?_

Lucy stumbled slightly. "What do you mean?"

_He has scars that are in very similar places as Natsu…_

Her feet slowed as Aries words filled her head. "Are you suggesting that the dragon might actually be Natsu?"

_I'm sorry! It was just an observation ma'am._

The blonde took a deep breath before she lengthened her stride. "It's just a dragon, nothing more. There's no way that's Natsu. Come on, I still have to feed Gray and Juvia before I can get the medicine together for the drakes."

Aries began to shake a little again. _There's… there's more big ones like him?_

"Not quite. Sting and Rogue are much younger and only about half as big as N- the dragon. I promise they won't eat you."

_If- if you're sure ma'am._

"You can stay outside the greenhouse. They're friendly- I promise it'll be okay."

Lucy went through the motions, taking care of her patients and conversing with Aries, but for the rest of the morning, all she could think about was the spirit's earlier words. The dragon's scars were very hard to see around his scales, but now that she thought about it, they were awfully similar to Natsu's.

Was it possible? Was there some chance that Natsu was still alive, if a little worse for wear, and staying here, in her facility? Was it possible?

If she could fix the dragon, would she find that she'd actually saved Natsu?

* * *

"What do you think, Lucy?"

Lucy jerked as she heard her name. "I'm sorry, what?"

Levy frowned her way as she set down her book. "You okay? You've been spacing out a lot today. Is something wrong?"

Not sure she wanted to share her thoughts just yet, Lucy shook her head. "No, sorry, just tired."

"Mira mentioned that the beast was up most of the night until you went out to sleep in the shed. Is that true?" Porlyusica asked. She'd arrived mid-morning, with a small mountain of books and several bags of materials, along with Levy, who had her own stack from the guild's library.

"Yeah. He seems to prefer not being alone. Or perhaps just prefers to be around me. I'm not sure yet."

Porlyusica nodded as she continued to mix some of her herbs. When she finally moved to dump the bowl into the boiling pot on the stove, she spoke again. "Perhaps you can leave me alone with him when I go down to study him. I think this cleanse is the right way to start, so we can clean out the toxins that might still be lingering in his system. You said he's still rather weak and his appetite comes and goes. I'd like to have a look at him on my own so I can assess him with my own eyes. Is that acceptable to you?"

"That's fine with me," Lucy said. "I think I'd like to come with you at first, but once I talk to him, he can be all yours. I'll have to stay nearby, since you aren't one of the people who can use the runes, but there's plenty of room for me to make myself scarce while still staying in earshot."

"Fine, if that's the way you want to do it. This needs to simmer for thirty minutes and then cool before it's ready." She held out three books in their direction as she continued to watch her pot. "Here, take these three and look through them. Go somewhere else, though," she said as she dismissed them.

Both Levy and Lucy grabbed a few other books before getting up and heading for the living room. Aries was there, curled up on one of the chairs and covered by a blanket that Lucy had draped over her earlier. She always seemed to tucker out faster than the other spirits.

Once they'd situated themselves on the couches, Levy folded her hands in her lap. "Alright Lu, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked as she reached for the now cold cup of coffee that was sitting on the end table.

"You know what I mean. I've seen you tired before. You're not zoning out because you're tired, you're zoning out because you're thinking hard about something. What is it?"

Lucy glanced at Aries before she answered. "Aries made an interesting observation this morning and I'm not sure what to make of it yet."

"Really? About what?"

"The dragon."

Levy frowned. "What about him?"

"Well, I was pretty tired and annoyed, and when I was yelling at him, I apparently called him Dragneel."

Levy chuckled. "I had forgotten that you used to do that to Natsu."

"Only when he was being really obnoxious," Lucy said with a small smile. "Well anyway, Aries asked me if that _was_ Natsu, which I told her no of course, because it's not."

"Of course."

Lucy bit her lip before she continued. "But then she… she pointed out that his scars are in the same places as Natsu's. They're hard to see, but the one on his side and his neck… they look just like the ones he had."

Levy sighed. "Lucy…"

"I know, I know, it's silly, but… what if it's true?"

"Lucy, we've been over this." Levy looked upset but her voice was firm. "Natsu is _gone_. He's not just going to show up at your house asking to be fixed. That's not Natsu, it can't be."

"I know." Lucy sighed. "I know…" She stood and grabbed her cup. "I'll be right back. You want some?"

"Sure. Can you add-"

"A little milk and sugar, I know," Lucy said with a smile.

Once she'd entered the hallway, Lucy veered off towards the storage room next to the kitchen, rather than going straight there. She took out her keys and then pulled one off. "Open, gate of the lion. Leo!"

Leo appeared before her with a smile. He glanced around and then raised an eyebrow. "If you're calling me for a little tete'a'tete, I'm game, but is a closet really the best place?"

"I have to ask you something," Lucy said.

Leo caught on to the seriousness in her tone and nodded. "Ask away."

She relayed her morning to Leo, as well as the dragon's actions from the previous day and night. "Is it possible?" she whispered. "You were around him, you could smell him, and I know your sense of smell is almost as good as a dragon slayer's. Did he smell like Natsu at all? Is it… is it possible that Natsu is finally back?"

Lucy couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice, or the tears from forming in her eyes as she asked. Leo frowned as he listened, and then pulled her into his arms to hug her. "Is this what's been bothering you all day? We've been wondering."

She nodded against his shoulder, not bothering to try pulling away. The tears were falling freely now, and she didn't care. Leo wouldn't judge her, none of her spirits would. Well, maybe Aquarius, but even she'd been nice about the subject of Natsu since he'd disappeared.

"Lucy… that's not Natsu." Leo obviously didn't want to say it, but Lucy didn't blame him for being honest with her. As tears began to come in earnest, she finally realized just how hopeful she'd become in the last few hours. It was pathetic, really, to break down like she was. It had been years and she was still able to be reduced to a blubbering mess over just a small shred of hope.

"I'm sorry," she whispered into his chest as she fought to get herself under control."

"Hey, don't ever apologize to me," Leo said. "You are my summoner, and you are the most important person to me, okay? I would gladly let you soak as many suits with your tears as you need to feel better. You do whatever you have to do to feel better." His arms tightened around her. "I'm not going anywhere."

So she did. She cried and she cried, and when Levy finally came searching for her, Leo shooed her off so Lucy could finish and collect herself before facing both her and Porlyusica. Before she left, she thanked Leo again, and once more he reassured her that she was welcome.

When Leo returned to the spirit realm, Virgo was waiting for him. "What happened?" she asked.

Leo told her as he changed his clothes to something dry.

When he was done Virgo continued to study him for a long time before she spoke. "You lied to the princess."

"I did not lie," Leo argued. "We don't know what's going on yet."

"You said so yourself that he smells like Natsu."

"_Like_ Natsu does not mean he _is_ Natsu. He might have just come from the same place."

Virgo followed him as he walked away. "If you think that is a possibility, why did you not tell the princess?"

"I don't want to get her hopes up until I have more information."

"Then you are returning to the human realm?"

"Yes, I'm going to go back."

"I want to come with you," she said.

Leo sighed as he smoothed out his jacket. "Virgo, we can't both be unavailable if Lucy needs us."

"She has the rest of the zodiac, and Aries is with her. You know as well as I do that she is perfectly safe." Virgo cut him off, forcing him to stop. "We will both go. We all love the princess and want her to be happy, just as much as you do. Aquarius is already aware that we will be gone and is ready to respond if either of us is summoned."

Leo groaned loudly. "_Fine_. Fine! We'll both go."

"Good. I'll go change."

Once she was out of earshot, Leo began to rub his face with both hands. "Gods, if that isn't Natsu's smell I am going to hear it from _everyone_." Virgo returned quickly and then they both went to speak to the spirit king. A short time later, they were both sent to the human world.

* * *

_Dragneel… is me?_

_My name Dragneel?_

_Familiar. Like it._

_Want out. Want to move around._

_Want to be with her._

_Familiar. Smells good._

_Lucy…_

_Stay…_


	8. Chapter 8

**It is beautiful outside, but not so beautiful just yet that I can drag our daughter out. But soon! I can't wait.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

"Something is wrong with that dragon."

Lucy looked up from where she was making lunch with a raised eyebrow. "Well yeah, he's sick. That's why he's here."

"It's more than that," Porlyusica said as she grabbed a stool and moved it across the kitchen a bit. "He's a dragon, there's no doubt about that, but he's not like any dragon I've ever encountered before."

"Have you met a lot of dragons?" Levy asked.

"Enough to know how one should behave, and this one doesn't act right." She crossed her arms as she sat on the stool, eyes focused on the counter full of books. "He has the body of a dragon, but he acts more like a drake. He has no speaking capabilities, but he seems to comprehend what's happening around him as well as any dragon. Not to mention the way he acts around Lucy; he was basically a trained dog with how well he listened to her and followed her around while she was there. No dragon would ever act that way, no matter how much they liked someone."

Lucy smiled a little as she checked the chicken in the oven. "He did grow fond of me rather quickly. He seems okay being around others now, but I'm the one he listens to the best."

"It's not unusual for a dragon to take a liking to a human, as you both well know, but that doesn't make up for the other inconsistencies." She lifted a hand to rub her chin as she began to think to herself.

Levy and Lucy shared a look, and then quietly got up and left the room. "Will the food be okay?" Levy asked.

"Yeah, the potatoes and chicken both need a while yet. I was thinking about making a quick run through to everyone before we eat anyway."

"Ooo, great! I haven't met the drakes yet."

"They're well behaved, and Sting has quite a bit of personality. How about you check on them for me while I go down to the shed?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll meet you down there in a little bit."

"Great." As they parted ways, Lucy noticed that Aries had joined her.

_I'm sorry for falling asleep ma'am._

"Don't worry about it," Lucy said. "I was in the house, so I was plenty safe. Don't worry too much just because you took a nap. If I had the time, I would have been right there with you."

_Yes ma'am, but I'm still sorry._

"Apology accepted." Lucy led the way through the door and the shed. Juvia was absent from her enclosure, probably swimming around in the caves below her room, and Gray was failing to get airborne on his still healing wings. After Lucy visited him, and added some salve to his irritated wounds, she took a deep breath before making her way towards the last patient. When she arrived, she was surprised to see that the runes were all deactivated and Freed was sitting on one of the few unburnt stumps with his head in his hands.

"Uh… Freed? What's going on?"

Before he could answer, she finally noticed. In the back of the enclosure, one end of the river had been dug into and widened, apparently enough that a certain dragon had managed to slide his way through.

"I am so sorry, Lucy." Freed's voice was muffled by his hands, but Lucy was close enough she could still understand him. "I never considered the possibility that any of your patients would be smart enough to try and escape through the other walls of the enclosures. I should have put up runes around them long ago, but I just didn't think it was necessary."

Lucy sighed as she moved forward to put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. He's proving to be more difficult and intelligent that we gave him credit for. We're learning from the mistakes, so that's something." She squeezed his shoulder before turning to leave. "How about you work on adding some additional runes in here while I go figure out where he went?"

Freed sighed. "I will work on it."

Once Lucy had exited the shed, she looked around, curious where the dragon might have gone off to. There were several buildings around her property, and most of them were large enough that he could have slipped in to hide from her.

She moved around the building and looked around her property. "Where do you think we should start, Aries?" she asked. She was surprised to find that she was more exasperated than angry with the dragon's current escape.

_Perhaps somewhere that you like to frequent? You said that he likes you, correct? Perhaps he tried to find you to spend time with you._

Lucy slowly nodded. "That's a pretty good idea. I think we should check the garden first, and then probably the house. I'm a little worried about him running into the drakes. I don't know if he'll get territorial around them and I'd like to mediate if he finds them. Let's hurry."

As they arrived at the garden, Lucy knew immediately that he wasn't there. He wasn't small enough to hide behind any of the plants, and she could tell that he wasn't near the greenhouse. She quickly made her way to the building and got Levy's attention through the glass. Once Levy was close enough, Lucy let her know what happened.

"He dug himself out?" Levy asked.

"Yeah, so we're on the lookout for him. Let me know if you see him, so I can kick his dragon hide and put him back."

"I'll go look soon. I'm almost done checking over these two."

"Sounds good." Lucy waved before she left, and while she and Aries were leaving the gardens, she heard a crash and then a rain of glass. When she looked up towards the house, she groaned. "Oh no…"

The window to her room faced the back of the house, overlooking the garden and most of the property, so she could clearly see the large red dragon butt trying to wiggle its way into the broken window.

Lucy quickly made her way towards the house, not even bothering to check if Aries was following her.. She flew through the kitchen, ignoring the startled noises from Porlyusica, through the living room, up the stairs and to her room. She flung the door open, scaring the dragon who had managed to get all the way inside.

"_What are you doing?"_ she growled.

The dragon had tensed as soon as the door opened, but at her words, he lowered his head and curled up into himself. He made a quiet purring noise, but remained huddled in the corner, his eyes on the floor.

"You broke into my house! Do you understand that? You broke my window! Not only that, you _escaped_ again, and I warned you earlier that you needed to behave! Escaping your enclosure and breaking part of my house is not behaving!"

The dragon made a confused noise and then rubbed his nose against her bed. He purred quietly as he laid his head on her bed, but Lucy didn't bother to acknowledge his actions. "Go back outside and wait for me. I told you if you misbehaved again you were going to the shed in the woods, and I meant it. Go. Out the window, go. I'll be down there in a minute."

The dragon looked up at her and grumbled a little, but Lucy moved forward and began to shove him in the direction of the window. He finally moved on his own and wiggled his way out the window to hop down on to the ground. Lucy sighed as she looked at the mess she would have to clean up, and then headed back down the stairs.

As she passed through the kitchen, Porlyusica spoke up. "He likes you an awful lot."

Lucy ignored the small pang in her heart at those words and continued towards the back door. "That doesn't excuse his behavior."

As she opened the door, she found the dragon, not nearly as apologetic looking as before, sitting near the porch sniffing at the furniture on the other side of the railing. He was still squinting, but it wasn't as bad as before. Lucy wondered if that meant whatever was in his system was finally working itself out.

"Come on," she said as she turned his nose and tugged on his jaw. "I'm taking you to your new room." As they walked, she checked the pockets of her apron. Once she was sure she had what she was looking for, she turned and headed towards the back of her property. She was silent on the way, and the dragon spent the trip smelling at the different buildings and things they passed by.

It struck Lucy suddenly that she should probably question why a _dragon_ of all creatures was listening to her so well, even if he was domesticated. And why she felt so sure that he wouldn't lash out at her. Dragons were dangerous creatures, and sometimes fickle. He could kill her at any moment if he wanted, but instead of acting like it, she was scolding him like a bad dog who had peed in the house.

Porlyusica was right- there was something very strange going on. And she was going to figure out what it was.

Once they made it to the trees, Lucy turned around and began to walk mostly backwards.

"I'm going to try and help steer you, okay? This path isn't used much, and I don't want you running into anything."

It was slower going that she liked but ten minutes later, they finally made it to the old shed. It was plain white, a little rickety looking and had no lights inside. There were a few open windows covered in iron bars, and the inside was kind of smelly and dark.

The dragon immediately bulked, but Lucy kept her grip on his jaw firm. "You are going in the shed. I warned you that if you misbehaved again, this is where you were going. I cannot just ignore you being naughty. You're going in for the rest of the day; we're going to need time to fix your enclosure anyway."

He continued to fight, so Lucy pulled out the tranquilizer in her pocket and showed it to him. "If you do not go on your own, I will have to tranq you. It will be no trouble at all to get Freed out here to put you in there, but you will feel nauseous and unhappy when you wake up. You have one chance to go on your own. I am going to open the door, and if you go in, we won't have a problem. If you fight me or try to leave, this is the route we're going and you're going to be even more unhappy in a few hours. Your choice."

She kept an eye on him as she let him go and moved to roll open the door on the front of the shed. The dragon stared uncomfortably passed her into the darkness she revealed before moving forward and rubbing against her with small, apologetic sounding noises. "No, I do not forgive you right now. Either get in or I knock you out."

The dragon hung his head and then eventually made his way inside. He sniffed a little at the space but found something bad rather quickly. He turned around and watched as she shut the door. Once it was fully shut, he began to whine. Lucy raised her hand and placed it against the side of the building. "Activate runes, Lucy Heartfilia." As the runes on the ground around the building began to glow, the sound inside immediately stopped and Lucy let out a long breath.

She stared at the building for a long time before she finally convinced herself to leave. As she walked, Lucy found that she felt bad about locking him up. There was no doubt that he understood what she was saying to him, and understood that what he was doing was bad, but being around her, or at least free, seemed to be important enough to risk getting into trouble.

The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. She'd seen how little his previous handlers cared about him. It was still unclear how his actual owner had felt, but from what she'd seen, she couldn't imagine him caring too much. It sounded like the dragon had been separated from everyone except his owner, despite how much he obviously liked being around people.

She wondered what his owner was like. The men who'd dropped him off hadn't used a name, so she had no way of finding out on her own.

What if he wasn't a nice master? He obviously didn't care enough about the dragon if he was willing to take his wings and drug him. What if he wasn't affectionate with him either? The man she'd spoken to, Invel, had said that playing and affection were a waste on a beast that was a guard; what if his owner felt the same?

What if the poor thing was just that starved for attention? What if he thought punishment was worth spending time around the person who had shown him kindness, perhaps for the first time? Lucy began to feel awful. Maybe she should let him back out…

"Lucy! What happened to the dragon?"

Lucy looked up as Levy called out to her. She hadn't even realized she'd made it out of the woods. "He's in the old shed. I warned him if he misbehaved again I was going to lock him up out here and I think escaping falls into that category." She began to twist at her apron a little as she looked back. "Now that I'm thinking about it, though, I'm not sure that I should…"

"Why do you say that? You give them all ample opportunity to behave before you stick them out there."

Lucy told Levy about the thoughts she was having, and even the blue haired woman looked unsure once she was done. "I suppose," she said, "but he did misbehave, a lot. Perhaps you can let him out tonight and put him back, once the enclosure is fixed. Gajeel just got out here and he offered to go work on it."

"I appreciate it," Lucy said with a smile. After one last look over her shoulder, she hooked Levy's arm through hers and headed toward the house.

As they made it to the porch, Porlyusica came flying out. The pair stopped, barely managing to not be run over.

"Uh, Porlyusica? Where are you going?"

Lucy's words didn't even phase the woman as she made her way to her car and threw open the back door. She rooted around a bit and then pulled out a book from one of the boxes in the backseat. After flipping through the book in her hands, she smoothed out the pages and began to read.

Lucy and Levy looked at each other, both too afraid to interrupt the woman, but they didn't have to wait long before Porlyusica closed her book with a snap. "I thought so."

"What did you figure out, Porlyusica?" Levy asked.

"I have to go," she said pulling out her keys and moving to slide into the driver's seat.

"Wait, Porlyusica! Aren't you going to tell us what's going on?"

"I have a potion to make. It'll take me three days to brew though. I'll have it back before those men return, mark my words." She slammed her door shut behind her and then she was gone.

Lucy and Levy stared at each other for a few seconds before rushing into the house.

An hour later, the pair sighed almost simultaneously. "I don't see anything in the open books that would give us any clue about what she figured out," Levy said.

"Me either." Lucy picked up the dishes from lunch and moved them to the sink. "I don't think I've ever seen that look in her eye before. I'm almost worried about what she's doing."

"It has to have something to do with the dragon, and whatever she thinks she figured out she wasn't happy about."

"Agreed." Once the dishes were rinsed off, Lucy checked her watch. "I don't think the guys are paying attention to the time, so I'm going to go get them to come up and eat. I made plenty since I wasn't sure who'd be here. Do you wanna start moving the books into the living room and I'll help you once I get back?"

"Sure. I'd rather they were out of here anyway. Can you imagine what Porlyusica would do if we got any food on one of her books?" Levy cringed at the thought.

"I'd rather not find out," Lucy said with a shiver of her own. "I'll be back in a little bit to help you move those."

"Sounds good."

Aries joined Lucy again as she made her way across the yard, but she was quiet this time. When Lucy returned to the dragon's enclosure, she found Gajeel and Freed both squatting in the back near the hole, studying it.

"Hey guys, what's going on back here?"

"We were just checking out the hole your dragon made," Freed said.

"He's not my dragon," Lucy said.

"You don't plan on returning him, so for now, I would consider him your dragon. At any rate, he did a remarkably good job digging this hole."

Lucy frowned as she looked down at it. "What do you mean?"

Gajeel pointed to a small mound nearby. "He dug up the top layer of grass and dirt and kept it together, so once we finish filling in the hole, that can go right back on top and you'll barely notice anything happened.

"He dug around the bars that bisect the river, and managed to wiggled passed them without bending any of them. He mostly kept the river intact, and on the outside, his hole is barely big enough for him to squeeze through. He may have dug his way out, but it looks like he was very careful not to wreck more than he needed to. I'm almost impressed," Gajeel finished.

"So it won't be difficult to fix?" Lucy asked.

"Shouldn't take more than an hour," Gajeel answered.

"Well that's a nice surprise. Anyway, I made enough lunch for everyone if you guys want to come up to the house before you clean this up."

"That sounds wonderful," Freed said.

"Later losers!" Gajeel called as he left the enclosure and quickly headed towards the house.

Lucy sighed. "Tell me you're going to do the thing."

One of Freed's eyes began to glow a dark purple as he rose to stand next to her and grabbed his sword. "I think it is only fitting that I 'do the thing,' as you so eloquently put it." He swiped his sword through the air, and a moment later, the pair appeared in the kitchen. Levy didn't even glance up from where she was piling up books.

"I put plates and forks next to the stove," Lucy instructed as she moved to help clear off the island.

As she picked up her pile, Gajeel appeared in the doorway and glared at the pair. "That's no fair," he grumbled as he moved to pick up an empty plate.

"If we hadn't made it first, Freed might not have gotten any," Lucy said as she made her way out of the room. She heard him grumble behind her, but he didn't argue, causing her to grin.

As she set down the books on the dining room table, she noticed three books set off to the side, with bookmarks sticking out from several pages of each.

"What did you find?" she asked Levy.

"Oh, nothing big," the blue haired woman said. "Just some interesting bits that I'd like to read through later when I have time."

Lucy nodded as she turned to go grab more, leaving Levy to sort out the pile into her other stacks. Once she rounded the corner, Levy dropped the books she had and grabbed the three she'd set aside. After she had them safely tucked away in her bag, she returned to her work, leaving Lucy none the wiser.


	9. Chapter 9

**GUYS. THE FEELS. I had to share this one too. I know I already posted one, and I should spread them out more, but this one has some Nalu fluff and I LOVE Nalu fluff. Please enjoy while I try to rub the ever living crap out of my sore eyeballs.**

**As always, thanks for the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Lucy adjusted the bag that she had hanging from her shoulder as she entered the woods. It was dark out, so dark she'd had to bring a flashlight with her to see. It took a little longer than usual to make it back to the shed in the dark, but soon she saw the glowing runes in the distance.

Before she opened the door, she took a short walk around the building to make sure it was still whole. Grateful that this building at least had stood up against the dragon, she placed her hand against the door and turned the runes off. Once they stopped glowing, she was surprised that there was still no noise. She set down the bag of food and used both hands to push the door open.

She stopped once she was able to walk in and checked the inside with her flashlight. Next to the door, full food trays sat with their food untouched. The whole floor looked as though it had been scratched up, and the walls were mostly black from dragon fire.

When her light finally made it to the back of the shed, Lucy saw that the dragon was sleeping soundly in a ball in one of the corners. She smiled a little as she moved through the shed to reach the beast, whose snores were so loud, she was surprised she hadn't heard them before.

The dragon's nose was tucked under his tail, so Lucy ran her hand over his head instead. The end of his tail twitched, as well as his eyes, but after a little while, they slowly blinked open to see her. It seemed to take him a while to figure out what he was seeing, but once he did he lifted his head to rub at her side, and then slowly coiled himself around her, pulling her against his body.

"Easy there, big guy," she said as his tail and neck pulled her tight against his side. "Don't squish me. I can't break you out if you do."

He made a quiet trilling sound and then began to purr as he rubbed his head against her some more. "I know you're sorry," she said, her hand managing to rub his head despite its movement. "I forgive you now that my window is mostly fixed. If you ruin anything else on my house, though, you'll be out here until you leave, you got that?"

The noise he made couldn't have been anything but agreement, so Lucy caught his head and moved to stand in front of him so she could look into his eyes. "Have you eaten anything today?"

The dragon looked down and made a sad noise. "I thought so. Come on, I have something for you, once we get back out of these woods. You'll like it, promise."

The drake bolted, heading straight for the door once he had the permission to leave, but he paused halfway there to wait. He didn't move again until she was ahead of him, and he kept a respectful distance as he followed her out and gave her time to open the door wide enough for him to exit.

"I hated having to lock you out here, but hopefully you'll start behaving now." Once the door was fully closed, Lucy turned around and found him sniffing vigorously at the bag she'd brought. She stepped forward and smoothly grabbed it off the ground before heading down the path. "I told you, you have to wait. Come on now, don't get lost."

The dragon grumbled but followed her as she slowly made her way back down the trail.

As they exited the trees, Lucy paused for a moment to look at the sky.

The great thing about not living in the city was that she could easily see the stars. And on nights like this one, where there wasn't a single cloud in sight, it was even more beautiful.

The dragon paused, too, as he looked around. Eventually, he also looked up and made a questioning noise.

"You know it's been a really long time since I just sat outside and looked at the stars."

The dragon turned her way and then looked back up as she continued.

"I still look at them, of course, every night, but not as much as I used to." She swallowed hard before continuing. "When I got married, it used to be a tradition for me to come outside and tell my husband stories about the stars. I'd tell him about a new one every week as we sat under the night's sky at home or on missions… and every time I finished, he'd smile at me and say, 'You're amazing, Luce.'"

Tears escaped her eyes as the dragon bumped her with his nose. He made a noise as he did it again.

"I'm okay," she reassured him as she quickly wiped the tears away. "I just miss him. He's been gone a long time. Which means," she said with more positivity, "that when he gets back, I have a lot of stories to tell him about the stars and what I've been up to."

"_What about that one?" Natsu asked as he pointed at the sky._

_Lucy followed the line of his arm and then squinted at him. "Natsu, I've told you about that one."_

"_No you haven't," he scoffed. "I would remember."_

"_Natsu." She adjusted his arm just slightly. "That's Plue. That's the story of his kind. I already told you that one."_

_He squinted up at the sky for a long moment. "Are you sure?"_

"_Yes," she answered with a laugh._

_He grumbled and crossed his arms. "Well, maybe if they were spread out a little better, or _actually looked like things _it wouldn't be so hard to tell them apart."_

"_It's okay that you don't remember where they are, Natsu. There are a lot of them."_

"_But you remember!"_

"_That's because they're my friends. And," she added as she cuddled up next to him, "I've been hearing the stories since I was born."_

"_That's no faaaair," he whined._

"_Why is it so terrible that you can't remember where a couple stars are?"_

"_Because it's important," Natsu said, pulling her close. "They're important to you, and since I love you, they're important to me."_

The dragon bumped her elbow gently with his nose, knocking her out of her reverie. "What's up big guy?"

He looked above them with a quiet purr and then at her again. "You want me to tell you about them?" When he nodded, she looked up and scanned the many constellations filling the night sky.

She could tell him about any of the Zodiac, but she'd already told Natsu about all of them, as well as Plue, Grandpa Crux…

Lucy nearly smacked herself as she realized what thought had crossed her mind. This wasn't Natsu she was talking to. The dragon had more than likely never heard any stories about the stars, so she could tell him whichever stories she wanted. It was too bad there weren't any good ones about dragons…

Inspiration struck and she gave the dragon a sidelong glance. "Would you like to hear about Igneel, the dragon king?"

Immediately, the dragon perked up. He bumped her arm with his nose and then curled up, his bright eyes glowing with excitement.

She grinned as she looked around for somewhere to sit. The dragon noticed and surprised her by adjusting his weight and curling up his tail next to her. Lucy looked up at him, surprised. "Are you sure?" His response was to nudge her with his nose towards his tail. Lucy was surprised, but she thanked him, and then set out his food before carefully sitting down.

He quickly finished the food and then didn't move a muscle as he listened to her story. Lucy told him everything she could remember about Igneel. About raising Natsu, about disappearing from his time, and his child being sent into the future.

About him coming back to fight Acnolognia.

She lied of course, and said he won and saved the world. When she finished, she couldn't help but notice his suspicious gaze, almost as though he knew she was lying…

"What's wrong?" When he huffed, she smiled. "What's wrong? You didn't like the story?"

_Comfortable. Familiar. _

_Lies! Wrong. Why wrong?_

_Don't leave again…_

_Stay… _

Lucy ran her hand along his cheek, savoring the closeness she shared with this beast she had only known a matter of days. Ever since Natsu had left, there had been a part of her that couldn't settle, knowing he was out there on his own somewhere without her.

Knowing he still hadn't come home…

But with the dragon, that part of her had started to relax.

She didn't understand why. The other dragon hadn't affected her this way. The drakes either. Was it because he reminded her of Natsu? Because they'd formed a bond so quickly? Because she felt like she could trust him as much as she'd ever trusted Natsu? This large, out of this world creature, had somehow, for some reason, bonded to her, quickly, just as she and Natsu had.

In a way, she was surprised that it surprised her.

She was about to get to her feet when she realized the dragon's head was directly in front of her. His eyes were bright in the dark, so bright they were actually glowing as they stared at her with an intense focus.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. He didn't react to her words, just continued to stare. As she met his gaze, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Not because she was scared, of course, but because of something in the air. There was something there; she had the strongest feeling that there was something she was missing about him.

"I don't know what it is about you, but I can't help shake the feeling that there's something very important I need to figure out. You ever feel like that?"

He answered her by wrapping the end of his tail firmly around her leg as he continued to stare at her. For some reason, the action made her think of Natsu once more and she hastily got to her feet, breaking eye contact with the dragon as she freed her leg.

"You know, we should really give you a name," she said as she cleaned up the dishes. "Just calling you 'the dragon' feels weird now that I've gotten to know you." The dragon stood and moved to follow her closely as she began to walk towards her home, hastily wiping away tears. "What should we call you- do you have any ideas? We could do Red."

The dragon huffed, his hot breath momentarily covering her entire body.

Lucy laughed. "Not very original, is it? Okay… how about-"

He bumped her with his nose, causing her to stop. He looked up at the stars and then back down at her.

She raised a brow at him. "You want to be called Igneel?"

He shook his head and then lowered it to the ground and tried to make himself small. It took Lucy a little while to understand what he was trying to tell her- not the dragon king, but his _child._

"You want to be called… Natsu?" she whispered, her voice cutting out as she said the name.

_Yes! No… _

_No, don't be sad._

_Please, no._

He huffed a little and shook his head again. His eyes brightened and then he turned and called out, loud enough to surprise her, but not so loud as to bother anyone. "Hey hey hey, stop that now," she scolded him, but he stopped on his own. He turned around with a very excited expression and Lucy felt a wave of deja vu hit her. He turned around and did it twice more before she understood.

"You want me to call you Dragneel?"

_Like it._

_Safe? _

_Not sad?_

_Want Dragneel._

Lucy felt her heart clench and then pick up speed. At the same time, the dragon began to look worried. He nuzzled her stomach, his eyes wide and intense as he studied her. He obviously really wanted the name, but she got the feeling he understood it made her sad.

"You know what, I think it's perfect," she said with a smile.

"You can absolutely be Dragneel."


	10. Chapter 10

**This one is a bit short, but it's the last of my prewritten stuff, so the next chapters will probably come out rather slow, and I apologize for that, but I'm going to do my best!**

**BakaFangirl: It's a mix of the FT universe and ours (hence there being cars and phones.) Gray is a winter sprite and Juvia is a mermaid, while Sting and Rogue are both drakes. I'm using some of the characters as magical creatures being treated at Lucy's facility. I'm trying to keep their personalities close to what they are in the series (Sting having a little more personality than Rogue, Juvia's crush on Gray, as alluded to in the first chapter, etc) but they are not part of a guild in my version, nor has Lucy met them prior to them showing up to be treated. I hope that helps!**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Virgo worked on catching her breath as she and Leo hid. They could hear the humans looking for them, but they refused to be caught. They didn't want to risk getting Lucy in trouble by being seen.

"What do we do?" she asked.

"We still haven't confirmed anything," Leo said, his ears twitching as they tracked the people looking for them. "We'll just have to go in from below. Are you up for that?"

"Of course," Virgo answered.

And then the ground swallowed them whole.

* * *

"You know I still don't mind carrying your vase around," Lucy said.

"Anything is preferable to letting _you_ carry my vase." Aquarius crossed her arms with a huff. On her days to guard Lucy, she appeared as a small water elemental inside of her vase. The only way she was able to move on her own was with her water, but was a drain on her magic, so she always brought a surprisingly fast turtle spirit with her to carry her vase. It usually wasn't a problem, but the turtle couldn't climb stairs very well, so it was always a process to get her into the house when Lucy needed to go inside. It was the reason she usually came on rainy days, since both she and the turtle could use the rain to move around in the air for a brief time.

"Why don't you use your water to help him up?" Lucy asked.

"I'd hardly be conserving my magic by doing that," the spirit pointed out.

With a shrug, Lucy finished climbing the stairs and entered the kitchen door.

It was quiet, since the others had elected not to come out that day. Levy and Gajeel had a job, Porlyusica was still brewing her potion, and Freed had already been out multiple times that week. After grabbing a mug of coffee, she moved into the other room to continue her reading.

_...A phlegmy sounding cough is not always indicative of a respiratory infection, however, as the phlegm may have originated lower, in the stomach. Since the pathway leads to both the nose and mouth, is it hard to discern its origin without an invasive checkup. This should be avoided unless provided by someone who specializes in drakes._

"Real hard to do when they're so rare nowadays," Lucy muttered as she scanned further into the text.

Mink, her new canis minor, came out of the kitchen with a small cup of tea, which he placed onto the table before climbing up to sit next to her. His was white, just like Plue had been, but one of his eyes was ringed in blue, and his arms were also both a solid blue from hand to shoulder

After he got seated, he began to hum a little, and Lucy found herself feeling bad that she wasn't spending time with him. She summoned him a lot, but most of the time they sat in silence, or he just followed her around because she was so busy.

Ten minutes later, she closed her book with a snap. "Mink, let's go for a walk."

"A-ha!" Mink's shaking increased a bit, and he hopped down to follow her outside. Lucy was already several strides away from the house when she realized she should tell Aquarius where she was going. As she rounded the house, she saw that the turtle was just making it up to the last step.

Aquarius turned her way with a frown. "Where are you off to now?"

"We're going for a walk," Lucy said with a smile. "You wanna come?"

"Like I have a choice?" The spirit she was riding sighed and then turned around to make its way back down the stairs. "You could have made this decision a while ago."

"You could let me carry you," Lucy countered before turning and continuing her walk.

"Wait!" The mage paused, and a moment later, a grumbled _fine_ floated her way. With a smile, Lucy turned around and returned to the porch to pick up Aquarius' vase and the turtle disappeared. Aquarius gave her a hard look. "Do not drop me," she warned.

"I won't," Lucy promised and then began to walk again.

A few minutes later, as they entered the garden, Gray flew past, a little wobbly, but otherwise doing much better with his wings. "You're doing really well, Gray!" He gave her a smile and then continued on his way, staying within the barrier of the woods as he zipped around the property, strengthening his wings.

"I'm surprised he's still here," Aquarius quipped.

"He's not quite steady enough yet to return home," Lucy responded, "but it won't be long. A week tops."

"So where's your dragon? Why isn't he out here?"

"Dragneel? He's in his enclosure still."

Aquarius turned her way. "Leo told you?"

"Told me what?"

The spirit looked away. "Nevermind." She crossed her arms as she huffed. "Where are we going? Are you just trying to waste time?"

"You're chock full of questions today," Lucy pointed out, trying not to get hung up on her comment about Leo.

"Just trying to have a conversation, not that I know why I bother." Aquarius spun around. "Do you still have the mermaid?"

"Yes, Juvia is still here. Would you like to go see her?"

The spirit shrugged her shoulders, the picture of nonchalance. "I'm fine either way."

Lucy smiled as she adjusted course. "I was going to check on her anyway, so you can say hi if you like."

Half an hour later, the pair were still swimming around in the enclosure and Lucy had taken to sitting down and watching while chatting with Mink. The little spirit seemed to be enjoying the attention, but he kept pausing to look at the end of the building.

"What are you looking at, Mink?"

"A-ha!" Mink pointed down the way, and Lucy had to hold back a laugh as she finally saw what he'd been watching.

Dragneel had pressed himself as close to the barrier as he could get on the far end where he had the best viewing position of them. He was clearly eager to get out, but he'd remained quiet as he watched them instead of causing a ruckus. Lucy turned back to the spirit in her lap. "What do you think, Mink? Should we let him out?"

"A-ha!" Mink hopped up and then began to walk towards the dragon's space. Dragneel perked up immediately and began to pace on the other side of the runes.

Lucy stopped outside the runes and looked up with a smile. "Would you like to come out for a while?" The black of his scales had stopped changing, so she was fairly certain that his problem had stemmed from the chemicals in his system and was no longer worried he'd infect anyone else.

The dragon lowered his head with a purr and stared up at her with large, pleading eyes. Lucy laughed and then deactivated the runes holding him back, causing him to burst out, his nose leaking smoke in his excitement. When Lucy walked with Mink back towards the mermaid's enclosure, he quickly moved to follow, and curled up next to her when she sat down again.

Mink studied the dragon for a brief moment before getting up to explore. The dragon watched him for a while, and then gave Lucy all of his attention. He even ignored the little spirit when he began to climb up his tail. At one point, Mink lost his balance and nearly fell, but the dragon caught him with his nose and helped him back up onto his back.

That was how Lucy spent the rest of her morning, before deciding she needed to get back to her books so she could figure out what the drakes were sick with. After collecting Aquarius, she sent Mink home and decided to allow the dragon to leave the building for a little bit while she grabbed something to eat. While she was inside, she watched as he sniffed at everything on her porch, waiting for her to return. She was just about done making her sandwich when the dragon suddenly caught a new scent. He growled a little before trudging off, leaving Lucy to scramble to catch up to him.

"Hey, bring me with you!" Aquarius cried, but Lucy didn't turn back. Unfortunately, she wasn't fast enough to stop him from once more entering the garden. This time, he went straight for the greenhouse, where the drakes had apparently caught his scent as well and had moved to stand just on the other side of the glass.

"Dragneel, careful." Lucy moved closer, but didn't pull him away. She allowed them to watch each other through the glass, all of them looking wary but interested. The dragon eventually looked her way and made a questioning noise at her before turning back towards the building. "What's wrong, bud?" Lucy asked.

When the dragon made the noise again, this time louder and more insistent, Lucy sighed. "I'm not sure playing with them is a good idea. If things get out of hand, I might have trouble separating you three."

"I could help with that," came a voice.

Lucy turned around with a smile. "Yukino!"

"Hey Lucy." The pair hugged and Dragneel immediately moved to stand behind Lucy, the drakes completely forgotten. Yukino backed away a few steps as she met the dragon's stare. "Uh…"

"You don't have to mean mug her," Lucy scolded as she pushed the dragon back. He allowed her to move him, but he also lowered his head to smell Yukino. He huffed out a hot breath, smoke curling around his nostrils, and then pulled back, seemingly satisfied. "Do you feel better?" Lucy asked, but the dragon had turned away once more to study the drakes, both of whom were watching Yukino with expectant looks on their faces.

"Wow." Yukino chuckled as she moved to stand next to Lucy. "Are you sure he's not a drake? That was a very protective move he just pulled."

"I'm sure," Lucy answered, "and so is Gajeel." She was a little surprised Yukino knew about Dragneel, but Levy had called her the previous day and could have easily mentioned it.

The other woman frowned. "I can't believe anyone would even _consider_ taking a dragon's wings. That's just cruel."

"That's what I said." Lucy crossed her arms. "What do you think? If they start getting crazy, can we get them apart?"

"I think they would be okay. My two are better behaved than that," Yukino said with confidence.

"I don't know. Rogue keeps trying to escape when we open the door," Lucy said. "He almost succeeded this morning."

"Oh _really._" When Yukino met Rogue's eye, the drake's head lowered a little and Sting chuffed at his side. "I'll have a talk with him before I leave."

"No worries," Lucy said. Steeling herself, she pulled out her keys. "Well, what's the worst that could happen, right?"

Yukino grinned a little and followed her. "I think it'll be okay."

Lucy didn't seem convinced, but she didn't put the keys away either. She stopped at the door and looked up at the dragon. "Alright, bud, I'm going to let them out, but you have to _promise_ me, you'll behave, got it? If things start getting out of hand, I will put them right back and you will go back to your room. Do you understand?"

Dragneel nodded a little and then moved back some as she began to unlock the door.

"The same goes for you two," Yukino said through the glass. "Best behavior, you got it?"

Once she was done, Lucy stepped away. "I'll let you let them out. I'm going to keep Dragneel back while the drakes say hi."

"Sounds good." As Lucy turned away, Yukino piped up again. "By the way- _Dragneel_? What's up with that?"

"Long story," Lucy said as she reached the dragon. "I'll tell you later."

Once Lucy had a hold on Dragneel's snout, she nodded to Yukino, hoping the three wouldn't get too crazy. With a reassuring smile, Yukino twisted the knob and the door exploded open.

* * *

**This final chunk with Yukino feels off to me, but without rewriting the whole thing I'm just not sure how to make it flow better, and I have other scenes I'd like to work on while I have time, you know? Forgive me this moment of laziness, if you don't mind.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I tried, but I just didn't like any of the scenes I wrote between the drakes and the dragon. I'm not great with fight scenes still, and that's basically what it was (like play fight, not fight fight) so I glossed over it. Sorry for those looking forward to those scenes.**

**Before you get reading, I want to let you know you will be meeting Freed's 'little guy' this chapter, and I am excited. He was only mentioned once in the first few chapters, and I initially didn't know what I wanted to do with that position, but I think I filled it well. It is a wizard from the show made into a mythical creature, but that's the only clue you get. Can you guess who it is? I bet you'll be surprised.**

**ABT4Life: I'm glad you were able to catch back up. I totally understand the getting busy thing. I honestly shouldn't be writing at all- I have so much cleaning and prep work to do for us to sell our house .**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading.**

* * *

"Lucy, you always seem to find trouble everywhere you go," Yukino said with a laugh. It was late afternoon, and Dragneel, Sting, and Rogue had just laid down to rest after running around the property.

"I know," the blonde said with a sigh. "But if I don't help him, who will? Even his owner's… employees? Henchmen? Whoever they are, they even admitted they don't spend any time with him!"

"He is a dragon," Yukino pointed out. "They usually prefer to be alone."

"Not this one," Lucy said with confidence. She sighed as she leaned back in her chair. Dragneel, Sting, and Rogue were currently all resting in a grassy patch of lawn between the house and the large shed while Lucy and Yukino sat on the porch.

It had been a while since Lucy had been able to spend time with her friend, and she was enjoying herself immensely. Ever since she'd left Magnolia, she hadn't had much reason to talk to anyone in the other guilds, unless they stopped by anyway.

"Lucy, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Yukino seemed to weigh her words carefully before she spoke. "Do you mind if I stay the night and spend some time with you tomorrow?"

Lucy continued to stare out across the yard as she thought about her answer.

The following day was the anniversary of Natsu leaving. While she always missed him, the anniversary was always hard. Usually she avoided spending time with anyone. Levy always came out to take care of whatever patients they had, and Lucy would spend the day alone. Sometimes she hid in her room, sometimes she took a day trip, and on the first anniversary, when she was still really upset, she spent the day in the spirit world, just so it would finish sooner.

Perhaps she was ready to be done with that. She knew Levy would be coming out, and more than likely Gajeel, so she wouldn't be alone if she stayed. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to have Yukino, too. It _had_ been six years. Perhaps it was time to stop isolating herself on every anniversary.

"I think that would be nice," she eventually answered. "We could let those three hang out again tomorrow with both of us supervising, and as long as nothing bad happens, I can watch them later on my own." She took a deep breath and looked Yukino's way. "I think it'd be nice to have some company."

Yukino gave her a big smile. "I'm glad."

"Well since, you're staying for dinner-" Lucy was cut off as the phone in her kitchen began to ring. "I'd better get that. Excuse me." Lucy grabbed her sweatshirt on the way to the phone. It was getting late enough in the day so it was starting to get chilly.

"Heartfilia Magical Creature Rehabilitation Center, this is Lucy speaking."

"Lu, I am so sorry, I tried to stop them."

Lucy frowned. "Levy? What's wrong? Who did you try to stop?"

"The guild…"

Confused, Lucy asked again. "I don't understand. What's wrong with the guild?"

"They're-"

There was a loud commotion outside, so Lucy missed the rest of Levy's words, but when a loud "Manly!" broke out over the commotion, she knew what her friend had tried to tell her.

"They're here, aren't they?" Lucy groaned. "Levy…."

"I tried, Lu, but they all ignored me!"

"_Who_? Who's coming?"

"Everyone…" Levy mumbled.

Lucy wanted to whine, she really did, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. "Are you and Gajeel still coming tomorrow?" she asked with a sigh.

"I… wanted to ask you first. It sounded like the others were planning on partying tonight and not leaving until some… time… tomorrow?..."

"WHAT?!" Lucy screeched. "Where are they all going to sleep?!"

"Probably wherever they pass out. Lucy, you know how they can be," Levy rushed on. "You haven't visited in a while and they know what tomorrow is and then Mira joked about coming to visit and then-"

"_Mira!_" Lucy hissed. "That _traitor_-"

"Now now, that's not very nice." Lucy whipped around to find Mira, followed by both Lisanna and Elfman, coming in through the door. They were all carrying bags of food. "If you would just come to the guild more often I wouldn't have to bring the guild to you."

"Mira-" Lucy was cut off by the sound of a loud roar. "Oh no."

Lucy dropped the phone, completely forgetting about Levy, and raced out of the house. Several cars had been parked along the gravel drive, with a large bus she recognized as belonging to the guild parked right out front. Yukino had moved to stand next to Sting and Rogue, both of whom were standing at attention, their bodies primed to attack even as she tried to calm them down. Dragneel had risen up onto his back legs, clearly unhappy with the suddenness of the guild's arrival. Half of the guild seemed to have already left their vehicles, but they'd all quieted as the dragon and drakes growled in their direction.

"Dragneel, it's okay!" When Lucy made it to his side, he quickly, mostly with care, shoved her behind him with his tail. "Dragneel, stop they're friends!" After she wiggled her way out, she moved back in front of him, where she finally got his attention. "Let's go back to your room now, please. Oh no." Lucy groaned. "Gray and Juvia are out, too. This is terrible timing."

"Need a hand Lucy?" The blonde turned to find that the members of her guild who had already left their cars had either returned or were standing behind their vehicles, while Makarov had moved forward a bit. He watched the dragon and the drakes, an indecipherable look in his eye as he studied the dragon more than the other two.

"Master." Lucy ran a hand through her hair. "It's nice to see you, it really is, but it's a bad time. I have all of my patients out, and most of them aren't really great with strangers-" Dragneel huffed out a breath. "As you can see," Lucy finished.

"We can wait," he reassured her. With a wave of his hand, the remaining members returned to their cars. "We didn't mean to cause you any problems, we just missed you and wanted to visit."

"Master-"

"Please, do what you need to do, and then we talk again, alright?" He stared at the dragon for a long moment. "I'd prefer to not have to put your new pet in his place."

Had Mira told the master what was going on? "He's not my pet. He's not my anything," Lucy said. A sad noise from the dragon drew her attention up and she was surprised to see a frown on Dragneel's face. "Well, I didn't mean it in a bad way," she reassured him, and then sighed. "I'm not ready for this today."

"Perhaps you will come visit us more then," Makarov said as he began to walk towards the bus. "We're family, child, and that means making time for each other."

"I know." Lucy felt her heart constrict a little, but she ignored it. "Come on, big guy. Let's go."

"I can take care of my two," Yukino said, reminding Lucy that she was still there. "Do you mind if I borrow your keys?"

"Sure," Lucy said as she handed them over. "I think I'm going to go collect Gray and Juvia so I can put them all in their rooms at the same time."

"I'll make sure to lock these two up nice and tight. Come on boys."

Lucy began to walk towards the pond in the back yard where she'd left Aquarius and Juvia, surprised to find Gray there as well. Juvia was staring at him with hearts in her eyes as he rubbed at his sore wing. Aquarius appeared to be hiding in her vase, but as they approached, she poked her head out. "_Finally!_"

Her exclamation seemed to shake Juvia out of her revelry and her cheeks turned a bright red as she looked Lucy's way. "I'm sorry to cut your afternoon short," Lucy said, "but I have some unexpected guests that are going to be roaming around the property tonight, so I need to bring you guys back to your rooms."

"I got this one." Aquarius twisted her hand and Juvia was swept up into the air, surrounded by a ball of water that streamed out of her vase. Juvia was less surprised this time, since it was how Aquarius had moved her to the pond earlier in the day.

Gray got to his feet with a shrug and then opened his wings. He hissed a little when his bad wing refused to open. Lucy frowned as she moved to look at it. "It looks irritated again. You may need to stay off it for a day." When he gave her a look, she merely raised a brow at him. "You can't leave until it's healed and the more you try to fly with it before it's ready, the longer you'll have to stay here. I don't mind having you, but I know you miss your home."

The sprite merely shrugged his shoulders and then began to walk. Dragneel huffed out a laugh, causing the sprite to glare at him. When he held out his hand and shot a ball of ice at the dragon, Lucy had to move quickly to stop them from fighting. "That's enough of that."

Dragneel growled, causing the sprite to bare his teeth, but Lucy merely pushed the dragon away. "Come on, back to the shed you two."

As they began to make their way, Lucy was a little surprised to see Freed come from around the house as she leaned down to pick up Aquarius' vase. Since he was a frequent presence on the property, she didn't bother trying to send him away. "I was just about to ask if you needed help with the mermaid, but it seems you have it under control," Freed called.

"I appreciate the offer," Lucy responded, "but Aquarius has it covered."

Just then, a shot of light flashed at Freed's feet as his Raijū joined him. The fox-like creature sneezed a little as lightning crackled around his tails, which fanned out behind him as he sat down. "Have you come to say hello, Laxus?" Freed asked.

Dragneel sniffed at the air a little as the little Raijū looked Lucy's way and then yipped once. The dragon seemed content to remain at Lucy's side, for which she was grateful. The Raijū only came up to Freed's knee, and was generally well behaved around others, although he could be a troublemaker according to Freed. "It's good to see him, it's been a while."

"He likes to roam around the neighborhood at home a bit, but mostly just likes staying home, so I don't push him. Since I was coming out tonight and no one would be around to watch him for me, though, I decided to bring him along." He glanced over his shoulder and when he looked back he looked a little ashamed.

"I apologize for not warning you about them. I wanted to, but Mira is rather scary when she wants to be. And the only reason Levy didn't was because they sent her on an errand to get her out of the way.

"I only came along to try and help you if they get too pushy tomorrow."

"I appreciate that, but it's okay," she reassured him as she adjusted the vase in her hands. "I'm honestly surprised they haven't done it sooner."

He chuckled. "To be honest, I am as well." He leaned down to pat Laxus head and then righted himself. "Please, let me know if you need help with anything while we are here."

"Will do," Lucy said and then continued to head towards the shed, mentally preparing for the evening ahead.

* * *

**Okay, this one is also a little short, but I wanna jump into the party next, so I'm cutting it here. See you next time!**

**(Also, I'm just about done with the next part and I am _just dying_ to post it. Fluff, reveal, etc, so I'm hyping it now. I look forward to sharing it.)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Ugh. The fluff. The reveal. The emotions. This one gets to me. I loved writing this one.**

**Did anyone see an update for my last chapter? I didn't see any reviews, favorites, or anything from you guys! I missed you…**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

"_Uh… Natsu?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_What are you doing?"_

"_Trying to choose a knee."_

"_... For what?"_

"_See, I wanted to get down on my left knee, because I'm right handed and I thought I should use that to give the box to you, but now that I'm down here, I think I wanna use the other one so I can get up faster-"_

"_Why don't you just stay on your feet?"_

"_But… Isn't this how I'm supposed to do it?"_

"_... Do what?" _

"_Propose, you weirdo."_

"Lucy! Have a beer with me!" Cana sat down heavily on the bench next to the blonde, shaking her out of her daydream. Lucy looked up in time to stop a large mug from being shoved into her face. When the brunette knocked their drinks together and then tipped hers back, Lucy looked around.

The barn they were in had previously been a reptile building, back when it was still a zoo. When Lucy had taken over, she'd been shocked to find some of the reptiles still slithering about. After having them removed, she'd gutted the place and left the interior open, since she didn't need the building at the time.

Her guild mates had taken advantage of the space and set up a bunch of tables and chairs all over. Someone had even brought along a pile of futon mattresses and blankets and set them up along one wall, no doubt preparing for when everyone would eventually drink too much and pass out. Once that had been done, and the booze unloaded, Mira had arrived with the food and the party had started. And Levy had been right.

_Everyone_ from the guild had come. Even a few new members Lucy had never met before.

"_Luuuuuucyyyyy, _drink it!" Cana whined.

"Sorry." Lucy tipped back the mug and took a small swallow. She'd been mostly avoiding drinking, knowing how badly things would go if she were to get drunk, but it had been difficult. So long as she stuck to beer, though, she would be okay.

"Sooooo. Why haven't you come to visit us? We've missed you," the brunette asked.

"I've just been busy," Lucy said. "We've almost constantly had creatures here to care for, and when we haven't, I've been trying to get some of these other buildings up to snuff so they can be used."

"But Levy could have come out here so you could visit." Cana pouted. "Are you avoiding us?"

Lucy denied the accusation. "I've just been busy. I told everyone when I left that I have the space in case anyone wanted to come visit. It's not my fault if only a few of you have come out."

"We have our own work to do, too," Cana said as she finished off her mug. "Ugh, these things aren't big enough." She looked around, but a mug appeared in front of her as hers was whisked away by swift hands.

Lisanna gave Lucy a smile as Cana looked around in confusion before lifting the new drink to her mouth. "So, what all have you been up to?" the brunette asked.

Lucy told her about a few of her more interesting patients, including Dragneel, and about a few of her ideas for expanding.

"Ugh, that's so _booooring_," Cana said.

"Well, it's not glamorous, but it's a worthwhile endeavor."

"Well, yeah, sure, but it's _boring_." Cana glanced around. "How are you going to find a new man if you're stuck out here all the time doing work?"

Lucy went cold at those words. "What are you talking about?"

She wasn't sure if the brunette was too drunk, or she was just covering her anger that well, but Cana continued. "Well, it's been a long time since Natsu left. How long are you going to wait before you start looking again? I mean, if you've decided to live out the rest of your life celibate, I guess that's your call, but since Natsu's gone-"

"He's not _gone_," Lucy said through clenched teeth.

"Well, he's not here."

Anger shot through Lucy, making her entire body heat up and she shot to her feet. Too late, Cana realized her mistake and her eyes widened. "Lucy, I'm-"

"Sorry, I'm sure." Lucy's jaw snapped shut and she tried to get herself under control. "Natsu may be back, but he is not dead. He's _Natsu._ He wouldn't be taken down that easily. He may not be back yet, but he's. Not. Dead.

"He promised me he'd come back and he knows how I feel about promises. He _is_ going to come back." Ignoring the stares from around her, Lucy quickly left the building, allowing the night air to help cool her off.

She'd known staying away had been the right move to make. She'd known being around her guild mates would hurt, and she had been right.

She hated watching everyone drinking and laughing and not having Natsu to talk to about how Droy and Jet _still_ hit on Levy. She hated that they'd been partying for hours, but Natsu hadn't been there to start a fight with anyone and nothing had been broken. She'd hated eating food with her friends without a certain dragonslayer stealing her food, and then offering her her favorites from his own plate.

She'd hated how the family wasn't the same because of the gigantic hole left behind by Natsu's absence.

_Natsu kissed her once more, quickly, before he turned and began to walk away. "I'll be back soon, okay? Don't take any exciting jobs until I get back!"_

"_We'll just have to see!" she responded, making him whine._

_Before he turned away, he called back once more. "Oh, and when you start to miss me too much, I left you something under my side of the bed that should help. Take care of it until I get back!"_

_With that, he was gone._

And she hadn't taken an exciting job since.

Lucy glanced up at her house, imaging that box sitting on her shelf. After some consideration, she made her way towards the building. Once she'd retrieved the small chest and put it in a bag, she made her way towards the large shed. She wasn't sure why, but in lieu of her husband, all she wanted in that moment was to spend time with Dragneel.

She passed by the front, heading for the back door so she wouldn't disturb Juvia and Gray. When she finally entered the building, she found Dragneel standing right on the other side of the barrier, an excited look on his face.

"Hey big guy," she whispered, tears pooling in her eyes.

The dragon's demeanor instantly changed. He lowered his head, his eyes wide and concerned as he laid down, his tail slowly curling up behind him. He called to her softly as she moved forward and raised her hand. "Deactivate runes, Lucy Heartfilia."

The instant the runes were down, the dragon moved forward and nuzzled her. Lucy leaned forward and wrapped her arms around as much of his snout as she could reach. "Do you wanna get out of here?" she asked. When he made a noise in the back of his throat, she pulled away and then moved to open the big door.

Once the door was shut and they were outside, Lucy rubbed the dragon's nose. "I need a bit of a break from everyone. Can I show you something?"

The dragon huffed out a breath and nudged her. Lucy patted his nose and then began to walk across the yard, the dragon in tow.

Levy burst out of the barn, her blood running hot. She'd heard from Lisanna what Cana had said to Lucy, and after cutting the brunette off, she'd gone to try and find her friend. When she saw Lucy across the yard, she moved to follow, until she saw Dragneel with her. The dragon was following close behind, his head moving around as he scanned the area for danger.

When she saw what direction they were heading, she came to a stop. If Lucy was heading _there_, she wanted to be alone, and even though the guild wouldn't let her be, Levy decided to give her the space she needed and returned to the barn.

It was half an hour later that Lucy found the spot she was looking for. When she arrived, she moved to sit on the large rock sitting in the center of the clearing. The dragon was almost too big to fit, but he made it work by circling around the rock and laying down. Lucy stared up at the sky for a long time, just enjoying the quiet. She caressed the bag in her lap, drawing strength from its contents.

"You know, this place is the only way I can get close to my husband anymore, since I gave up my apartment. We stopped here once, on our way back from a mission. He'd been sure we could make it home before it got too late, but we got turned around and then I got too tired to walk and we stumbled upon this place."

She smiled a little as she looked around. "I didn't even realize it was part of my property when I bought it. I was just walking around the woods, trying to see if there was any good land for me to expand. When I got here, I didn't recognize it right away, until I looked closer at this rock."

Lucy leaned down and pointed at a spot on the side, where a chunk of the rock had been broken off and blackened by fire. "Once we'd settled down, we were ambushed by a few members of the black guild we'd subdued. They had been out of town when we showed up, and looked for us as soon as they returned."

Her smile was fond as she rubbed the spot. "Natsu was amazing, as always, but one of them managed to sneak up on me and got me with a knife. It wasn't too deep, because Leo spotted him in time, but Natsu went ballistic on the guy and slammed him into this rock. Then he literally blew the rest away with his fire."

Dragneel made a positive noise and blew out some smoke. Lucy chuckled. "Yeah, there was plenty of smoke around, too." She rubbed his nose, chuckling when he began to make a noise that was very close to a purr. "I have a feeling you two would have gotten along really well you know. He once told me that if he had his own spirit, it would be a dragon so he could practice his moves on him."

The dragon grunted and let out more smoke. "Don't worry, I'm sure you would have beat him." Her hand clenched around the bag in her lap. "But he would have given you a run for your money." He glared at her as he grumbled again. "No I'm serious. The man fought his friends for _fun_. They had to replace tables and chairs constantly at the guild. And he was good." As the hand around her bag began to get sore, she worked on loosening her grip. "He was a damn good fighter. He was quick thinking, he was fast, he was smart, he was…"

She squeezed her eyes shut. "God, he was everything to me." She clutched the bag to her chest and the tears began to flow freely.

_No no no._

_Don't cry._

_Please no._

_Smile._

_Be happy._

_Lucy… _

"Ever since I met him, he's been the most important person to me." She sucked in a deep breath, but the tears just kept coming. "We've been through so much together, and I _knew_ letting him go on his own was a bad idea. Leo said he had a feeling something bad was going to happen if Natsu left, and he's never been wrong.

"I should have stopped him," Lucy whispered. She pulled the wooden box out of the bag and placed it in her lap. It was a plain wooden box that had been bought from a store. Natsu had written her name on the lid with his fire. A couple small flames were scattered across the lid around her name and on the front he'd written his own name, with a heart after it.

"I think he knew, too." She carefully lifted the lid to expose the contents. "I think that's why he left this behind. I think he knew something was going to happen and he didn't want this to fall into the wrong hands."

"_Luce, look at me."_

_She tried, she really did, but she just couldn't bring herself to watch him leave. "I can't, Natsu."_

_He sighed and then pulled her close. She clung to him hard, as tears began to fall in earnest. "Luce-"_

"_I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know I said I was okay with you going but…"_

"_Have you changed your mind?" he asked, his posture stiff._

_Lucy didn't respond. She hated this. She wanted to let him go, she knew how important this trip was to him._ _He was going out to try and find his only remaining family, a brother he had only recently learned he had. Still... _

_She had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling. Combined with the warning Leo had given her…_

"_I don't want to stop you," she finally said, unwilling to say more._

"_That's not an answer, Luce."_

"_It's all I've got."_

_Natsu sighed again and pulled away to grasp her by the shoulders. "Didn't I promise I'd always come back to you?"_

"_Yes, but-"_

_He cut her off. "No buts. I know what promises mean to you, Lucy. I'd never make a promise I can't keep. You trust me don't you?"_

_Lucy was momentarily distracted by Natsu's attire. His jacket was buttoned up all the way to his chin, completely covering his scarf. He must be going very far north if he was covering himself so thoroughly. She met his eye as he waited for her answer._

"_Yes," she finally whispered._

"_That's all you need then." He kissed her on the forehead and then pulled her close for a proper one. Lucy threw herself fully into the kiss, determined to brand every bit of her love for him onto his lips with her own._

_When he finally pulled away, Lucy's tears had stopped in favor of other_ _feelings. _

"_Uh uh," Natsu said as he pulled away with a smile. "You're not distracting me with that again."_

_Lucy could only smile. "I didn't start it."_

"_But I'm ending it." He kissed her once more, quickly, before he turned and began to walk away. "I'll be back soon, okay? Don't take any exciting jobs until I get back!"_

"_We'll just have to see!" she responded, making him whine._

_Before he turned away, he called back once more. "Oh, and when you start to miss me too much, I left you something under my side of the bed that should help. Take care of it until I get back!"_

_With that, he was gone._

_It only took two days before she was crawling under the bed to pull out the small wooden box he'd left there._

_And it only took two seconds for her to start crying when she saw that beloved white scarf, left behind to comfort her while he was gone._

Lucy pulled Natsu's scarf out of the box and wrapped it around her neck. As she hid her nose in the fabric and breathed in the faint smell of her husband and partner, she missed the way the dragon perked up as he sniffed the air.

And the intensity of his gaze as he studied the white garment.

* * *

**Guys, I started a Tumblr! It probably won't be much, but I'd like to see what it has to offer and hopefully share some of my own stuff. I'm theHumbleGM over there as well.**

**Unfortunately, I feel like the new kid in a high school. Everyone else knows where everything is, has all their favorite spots and teachers, and have their groups of friends wrapped tight around them.**

**Someone please come sit with me at lunch…**

**(Not sure where this metaphor came from, but come give me some love over there anyway. Or shoot me some pointers on where the fun stuff is at!)**

**P.S. I already did a little writing thing over there with Soul and Maka from SE so check it out!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I hope everyone is staying safe and sick free with everything you need right now. We stocked up and are planning to stay home the next week or so. I'm not worried about my family (since we're homebodies) but it's good to play it safe. And remember, if you're being kept home from school/ work/ other activities, the point is to keep your distance from people. If you go out shopping (for non-essentials), to the movies, to playgrounds, etc. you're negating the benefit of being kept home. **

**Also, find a way to talk to people. There are plenty of free websites and other ways to talk to friends and family, whether by video or just chatting. It's good for your mental health to not completely cut yourself off. Also, keep an eye on your friends with depression and other mental illnesses. Not having a reason to get up, get dressed, leave the house, etc. can be hard for them. Reach out to them and make sure they're okay. And children! They're going to go stir crazy being stuck indoors or within the confines of their yards. There are tons of websites offering free activities to help them pass the time. The key is to mix it up. Keep them busy and do your best to not make them feel like they're a burden. They're not responsible for what's going on and shouldn't be made to feel bad because they are being asked to contain themselves. **

**We need to help each other out right now. Things will blow over eventually, but in the meantime, do what you can for you and your fellow man to make this experience better for them. And if you run out of things to do… there is always more reading.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

_Familiar… _

Dragneel stared hard at the fabric wrapped around Lucy. He couldn't put his claw on it, but for some reason, he felt very attached to the scarf all of a sudden.

"What do you think?" Lucy asked as she opened her eyes again. They were shiny from her tears and the light of the moon and stars overhead. "Do you think Cana was right? Do you think I should move on?"

He hummed a little, knowing she liked when he responded, even if he didn't know what she was talking about. She continued on, like she always did. "She's not the only one who thinks Natsu's gone for good. She's not even the only one who's talked to me about it, but she's the only one who's ever brought up the aspect of moving on."

The blonde groaned and then covered her whole face in the scarf. The movement made him itch to put it around his own neck, which was absurd.

"I just want him to come home! Is that too much to ask?!" she yelled. When she dropped the fabric again, Dragneel leaned close to nuzzle her again, as gently as he could. She was so fragile, this little human. He had to be gentle, or he could easily knock her over, or worse.

"I just want him home…" she said again as she rubbed his nose. He purred a little, because he loved when she did that. He liked the little blonde human who was so nice to him. She was fragile, but she was also fire; she was passionate and strong and fierce and tough, just like fire.

And he loved fire.

She continued to talk to him, but he only caught bits and pieces. Slowly, her words began to distract him from the scarf, and instead of ignoring an itch to try and acquire the scarf for himself, he listened to her talk on and on about the missing man. He understood a lot of what she talked to him about, but sometimes she rambled on so much that he had trouble keeping up.

Suddenly, she pulled away from him and pulled a bottle out of her bag. "Buddy, I'm about to do something very stupid, but I would appreciate it if you would not judge me, okay? It's only once a year I let loose like this, and I know it's getting close to midnight."

_Stupid? No, never._

_Never stupid._

_Smart. Smart and nice._

_Smart and nice like dragon king._

_Lucy like dragon king._

_Lucy like fire._

_Dragneel like Lucy._

The scent that hit his nose burned and he snorted a little as he pulled away to try and avoid it. "Yeah, it doesn't taste all that great either," she said as she put the bottle to her lips and tossed her head back. Her eyes squeezed shut so hard, the leftover tears fell down her cheeks. Once she'd finished swallowing, she wiped her face off once more on her sleeve.

"You know, I've been thinking a lot lately," she said before taking another swig from the bottle. He noticed her expression was not nearly as pained as the first drink she'd taken. "I've been trying to figure out just how long Natsu might stay away. He left before, you know. For a year, to train. He came back, of course, but before he left, I'd always thought we were a team that would never be separated by anything. And then he just left, _for a whole year_. Without even telling me!"

She hopped down and began to walk around, getting a little more agitated as she spoke. Lucy walked circles around that little boulder, both ways, for a long time as she told him about her adventures with her former partner. Eventually, she expanded her trip, going over his tail and back, stopping to sit on a foot, eventually even beginning to climb on him.

Dragneel kept a close eye on her as her footing became less sure, her words began to run together, her emotions became more chaotic. The more she drank from her bottle, the louder she got and the more she said. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he remained quiet as he made sure his new favorite human didn't hurt herself.

Finally, she came to a stop directly in front of his nose, so he was looking at her profile. She stared out into the night, the eye he could see unfocused. "I really thought he was going to come back." The tears began to fall again, and as she leaned towards him, he caught her on his nose so she wouldn't fall. "He proms'd he'd come back, an' I take promise very serously. And he's _Natsu_. Natsu can't be beat by a'yone, for any reason, and _especially_ if they were tryin' to keep'im away from me.

"At least, tha's wha' I've always believed."

Lucy leaned up suddenly and slapped herself, startling Dragneel and nearly causing him to jerk and let her fall. "No, stop it, Lucy! _We believe_ in Natsu. He _is_ going to come back!"

Dragneel whined a little and tried to shake her hand away from her face.

_No hurt._

_No hit._

_Please no._

_Bad bad bad._

Lucy leaned forward again, suddenly seeming very tired. "Dragneel, I've 'ready los' everyone else. My mom, my dad, Michelle…" She lifted her head and met the one golden eye staring at her from only a few inches away. "You won' leave right? Dragons live a lo' longer than humans. Can you…" She stifled a hiccup. "Can you promise you won' leave me, too? Please?"

Dragneel blew out smoke, avoiding her face with it and made her laugh. "Thank you," she said as she laid her head down again. "You're a best." After she turned her head and kissed his nose, she got comfortable, confusing Dragneel a bit since he was holding her up. She was quiet for a long time, so he eventually, carefully, laid his head down on the ground.

Lucy stirred a bit and then squeezed him again. "Le's go back in the morn'. I don' wanna deal with a'yone righ' now."

When he huffed out a breath, she sighed and thanked him as she curled up a little and got comfortable. Dragneel checked around them as much as he could once more before making sure his human was comfortable and then closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, Lucy spoke again. "You know… you remind me of him."

Dragneel opened his eyes and made a questioning sound.

"You ac' like him. And you remind me of his father, in looks. I thought… I though' for a while you might _be _him, somehow."

She sighed as she adjusted a little bit more. "Even though you're not, I'm going… to try and love you as much as I love him. Jus' in case he doesn' come back.

"I don't want to be alone again."

* * *

"Lucy!" Levy stumbled a little as she made her way through the woods. She called her friend's name a few more times, but never heard a response. "I knew I should have marked the way to that damn clearing." Because that was the only place Lucy would go out here. Right?

With a huff, Levy held out her hands. "Solid Script: Boost!" When both of her shoes were fully glowing, Levy bent her legs and then jumped. With her magic, she easily cleared the trees, but she didn't see the clearing from her location. After a few jumps, she released her spell and recast it on her throat before calling Lucy's name once more. She still didn't hear any response, but after a few seconds she did see a fireball fly through the air. Deciding it must be the dragon, she altered course and hurried on.

Lucy awoke with a sore head, covered in sweat. Something was nudging her side, and before she could get her wits about her, she rolled away. "Too hot, Na'suuu," she slurred. When the nudge came again, Lucy swung her arm, but as it landed on something hard, she realized it couldn't be Natsu.

She opened her eyes and found an empty bottle inches from her nose, a strong smell of alcohol clinging to the soil around it. Lucy groaned as she rolled over and was nearly strangled by the scarf around her neck. With a gasp, she shot up, worried about it being dirty, only to fall over again as her head began to pound.

Dragneel nudged her again with a whine as she tried to breathe through the pain. "S'ok," she lied. "At least… it will be."

What had happened?

Oh yeah. She'd yelled at Cana and then drug Natsu with her out to the woods to hide from the guild.

No no, _Dragneel,_ not Natsu.

Because Natsu was gone.

And it had been six years now…

Despite the pain in her head, the pain in her heart suddenly eclipsed it, and tears began to flow from Lucy's eyes to soak into the ground under her. She was careful to keep the scarf out of the way as her body began to quake despite her efforts to stifle the sobs. Dragneel made a distressed noise and then nudged her with his nose again.

_No no, don't cry._

_Please no._

_Talk._

_Talk like last night._

_No more sad._

_Right here._

_Feel better._

"I'm… sorry…" Lucy just kept failing to stop the tears, so she rolled onto her side and embraced them.

She couldn't believe it had been _six whole years_ already.

Six years without her partner. Without her husband. Without her Natsu.

Every year, she lost a little more hope that he would return. What could possibly keep him away for so long? He'd promised to return, so why hadn't he yet?

"Woah, woah, WOAH! Oof." A groan distracted Lucy a little and she looked up to see Dragneel retreating into the woods while Levy was busy wiping off her pants. "That was rude, Dragneel," Levy scolded.

In a quiet voice, Lucy said her name, causing Levy to turn around. Her eyes widened and she rushed to Lucy's side. "Oh Lucy, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Lucy just closed her eyes again as she shook her head. "Why… why hasn't… he come home yet?"

The books back at her house weighed heavily on Levy's mind, but she ignored the feeling. "Lucy, you know he wouldn't still be gone if he had a choice in the matter."

"But he's _Natsu_," Lucy insisted. "Nobody can beat Natsu!"

"You know that's not true," Levy said softly.

"He always wins eventually," Lucy argued. "_Always_."

"In the past, maybe, but there's always someone stronger, Lucy. You have to-"

"I don't have to anything." Lucy sat up, ignoring the intense hangover wreaking havoc on her senses, and wiped at her tears. "Why are you here?"

"The others have been worried about you all night. They came to spend time with you and you disappeared." Levy saw the blonde's eyes flash with anger and rushed to reassure her. "I know you had your reasons, but that doesn't mean the others weren't upset that you were gone."

"Well, if Cana hadn't suggested-"

Levy cut her off. "I'm not saying what she said was okay. I'm saying don't take it out on the others." Levy pulled a rag out of her pocket and held it out for Lucy to take. As Lucy worked on cleaning up her face, Levy thought hard about her words. Lucy was a mess and even though Natsu had been gone for years, his absence still caused her a lot of pain. After watching her friend for a moment, she made a decision.

"Lu, I know everyone showing up was a shock, and I know you want to be alone today…" She reached forward and squeezed Lucy's knee. "I hate to spring this on you now, especially today being what it is, but I also don't want to keep putting it off."

Lucy froze and then slowly lowered the rag in her hands. "Putting what off?"

"Talking about Natsu."

The blonde glanced away. "We do talk about him. Sometimes."

"Sometimes, but never for very long," Levy said gently. "When you brought up what Aries said, it sounded like you believed Natsu was gone, but now I'm thinking that you don't."

"Because I don't," Lucy replied, as though it was obvious.

"Lucy-"

"He's not, Levy." She dropped the rag in front of Levy as she got to her feet with a wince and began to dust off her clothes. "He's going to come back."

"Lucy-"

"He's coming back," Lucy said again more firmly.

"No, he's not!" Levy snapped and then shot to her feet. "Lucy, _Natsu is gone_. I don't know if the rumor about his brother was false, or if his brother was just a bad person and killed him, or if he managed to get himself in too deep into something he shouldn't have, but what I know is that _he is gone_. Okay?" She was practically begging. "I can't keep doing this!" Tears built up in Levy's eyes, but she didn't let them fall.

"I have watched you wait and wait and _wait _for something that isn't going to happen. I have always believed in Natsu, but waiting for him to come back at this point is just… _foolish_. If he were going to come back, he would have by now."

Levy tried to grab her friend's hand, but Lucy pulled away with a glare. "Lucy, he loved us. He loved the guild- we were his family! But that love doesn't even _compare_ to how he felt about you. It's on such a different level from how he felt about us. You were worth more to him than anyone or anything else.

"If he were still alive, you know he would have found a way back by now. You _know_ he would have returned to your side years ago!

"It's been _six years_, and he's not back, and he's not. Coming. Back."

Even as she said the words, Levy remembered those books…

And realized she didn't believe it was possible. The information was vague and unreliable, and while she wanted to believe… it just wasn't possible.

Despite Lucy's face going carefully blank, she had already started, so Levy was going to finish what she had to say. Her friend may be upset, but she'd waited long enough.

"I understand how much you love him. I do. But I need to know that you understand what's happening. That you know he's not coming back.

"If you don't want to find another boyfriend or husband or anyone else to be with romantically, I will fully respect that decision, but the thing I can't do is stand by and watch you spend the rest of your life waiting on someone to come back who isn't going to.

"Natsu. Is. Gone," Levy repeated again.

"So you've said multiple times."

"Because I don't think you're listening to me!" Levy took a breath in an effort to calm herself down. "Please, Lucy. Please tell me you understand that. Please tell me you believe that he's not coming back. I need to hear you say the words. And mean it."

Lucy carefully unwrapped the scarf around her neck and folded it neatly before returning it to its chest. Once it was returned to her bag, Lucy finally looked Levy in the eye. "I can't do that, because I don't want to lie to you."

Levy felt like she was going to cry. "Lucy…"

"I would know if he were dead," Lucy said quietly, but with conviction. "He's not gone, and it is my responsibility as his wife, as his _partner_, to believe in him."

Feeling defeated, Levy watched her friend begin to leave. The dragon remained where he was, unsure what to do as Lucy left Levy behind. Lucy paused just before she entered the trees.

"I know the rest of you have given up hope that he'll come back. I know that it's foolish to still believe that he's going to come home." She looked back at Levy. "But he promised me he would return- and I told him I believe in him. To give up on him, now or ever… I just can't do that. I'm sorry."

She looked toward Dragneel. "Can you make sure Levy gets back safe?"

When the dragon nodded, she turned and began to make her way through the woods, one hand pressed to her head as it began to pound. When Levy called out to her, Lucy shook her head and didn't look back as she stumbled along. "I need some time before I face everyone. I know my way back and Dragneel can help you find yours. We can talk later."

"Lu, wait!" When Levy tried to follow, Dragneel moved into her path. "Dragneel, let me by." The dragon blew out a small cloud of smoke but didn't get out of the way. The noise he made was almost apologetic as he continued to play barrier.

Levy let out a frustrated breath and then kicked at the rock next to her. As her toe connected, she cried out as pain burst through her toes. She hobbled a little and then sat on the rock, cursing herself for being an idiot.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, staring off into space, but a flash of silver eventually caught her attention and she leaned down to figure out what it was. The dragon returned to the clearing as she lifted the item up and finally realized what she was holding.

It was what was left of Plue's key.

Levy sighed as she realized it must have fallen out of Lucy's bag, or possibly the box she'd stuffed back in it. She recognized the small chest from Lucy's room. The blonde had always been secretive about what she had in it, and now that Levy had seen the scarf, and the key in her hand, she realized what it was.

It was a box with the remains of the people she'd been close to. Natsu's scarf, the rest of Plue's key… somewhere deep in Lucy's heart, she must understand that Natsu might not return, which is why she'd used the box to hold the remains of her spirit friend as well. Levy wondered if any of the other keys were in it and decided they probably were.

With a sigh, Levy put the key handle in her pocket for safekeeping before looking up at the dragon. "Dragneel, can you do me a favor?"

When the dragon nodded at her, she reached up to him and he lowered his nose so she could touch him. "Keep an eye on her. And whatever happens with your previous owners, protect her.

"And if someday you decide to leave and find a new home, come back and visit her, okay? She's lost enough people."

A quiet rumble was her answer. Levy sighed and then stood. "Alright, let's head back, big guy."

Dragneel turned and was just about to lead the way when Levy pushed on him to make him stop. He made a questioning noise as he looked back at her.

Levy was standing near his side, staring hard at his belly. She squatted down and ran a hand softly along the scales there. She'd noticed that the black ones hadn't spread anymore, but they also hadn't faded.

Right now, she wasn't looking at those though. She leaned closer and carefully ran a finger over Dragneel's white scales. Dragneel saw her eyes widen and then she slowly got to her feet.

"Your scales…" He made a noise, but she didn't seem to hear him. "How is it possible? How could you have…"

Levy snapped her mouth shut and pushed to make Dragneel start moving again. The dragon tried to get her attention, but she continued to keep her focus inward, so he began to walk, only stopping to make sure Levy was following. Even though her mind was elsewhere, Levy managed to keep up with Dragneel as he carefully made his way between the trees.

Maybe she was wrong.

Maybe she was misremembering.

But those marks… she'd never seen them anywhere else.

Dragon scales all had a pattern on them, similar to fingerprints, but with more shapes in repetitive rows. Levy had studied Natsu's scarf on a few occasions, for research purposes, but it had obviously been a while. There were two distinct patterns she'd seen that were so beautifully intricate, she'd thought about copying them onto something and hanging them in her room. She'd committed them to memory just in case, and now… unless she was wrong, unless she had somehow managed to forget… She was certain Dragneel's scales had the same pattern.

His scales were the same as Igneel, the Dragon King.

And Natsu's father.


	14. Chapter 14

**I enjoyed writing from the dragon's point of view in the last one. It was fun to mix it up.**

**Shout out to ****Stranger1999** **for pointing out I mentioned Gray in a flashback with Natsu and Lucy (chapter 3) which isn't possible in this world. It has been fixed. Thank you for letting me know!**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Leo carefully poked his head around the corner, Virgo right behind him. "Did I get us close enough?" she asked.

"Yeah. The scent is all over the hallway." He waited a moment longer before moving through the doorway. "I think there's a short hall here and then around the corner-"

When Leo froze, Virgo tensed up, ready to fight. "... What? What is it?"

A growl built up in Leo's throat. When she moved to look around Leo's shoulder, she gasped. "What are they- is that what I think it is?"

"We need to report to the king and get home to Lucy. _Now_."

* * *

When Lucy finally made it back, she was glad to see that no one had woken up yet, as her yard was still empty of people and voices. With a sigh, she finished her walk in silence, focusing on trying to breathe through the pain in her head.

She needed food. Something greasy. And some pain medicine.

When she finally opened the door to enter her kitchen, she wasn't surprised to find Mira and Freed inside, both busy making food. The sun was up, which meant they were up.

Both looked up when she entered, their expressions letting her know she didn't look the best, before returning to their tasks. "Good morning Lucy," Mira said, speaking more quietly than usual.

"Good morning," Freed repeated.

"Hi…" Lucy sighed as she poured herself some coffee in a mug that already had the appropriate fixings in it. "Thank you, Mira."

"You're welcome."

Lucy glanced over and saw that Laxus was sitting patiently on a stool at Freed's side as he prepared some food. The Raijū looked her way when she sighed and chuffed a little before turning back towards the food.

"Good morning, Laxus." Lucy yawned and then watched the pair cooking for a while before she spoke again, wondering if she had enough energy to go get something to take for her pain and come back to the kitchen. "Freed, what are you making?"

"Laxus' breakfast." The Raijū yipped a little and his tails slowly wagged behind him. "It's a mix of several herbs, veggies and chicken."

"Special occasion?"

"No, this is just his breakfast."

"You make that every morning for him?"

"Of course. I cook for him every meal." Laxus yipped again and dipped his nose down to point at the floor. "Would you like to get down?" Another yip. Freed smiled and after wiping his hands on his apron, he lifted Laxus carefully and placed him on the floor. As soon as his feet hit the floor, he disappeared in a flash of lightning.

Lucy blinked, not sure where he'd gone, and Freed smiled at her. "He likes to feel like he's in charge, so he asks me to let him down from chairs. Plus, he's rather adorable," Freed added with a shrug.

"His cough seems better."

"Virtually non-existent with that medicine you get for him." Freed pulled a couple pans off burners and began to make a plate. "Thank you again for that. It's extraordinarily expensive otherwise."

"It's not a problem," Lucy reassured him. "You've more than earned it."

"I hope so." Just as he was finishing, Laxus returned with a crackle. Freed leaned down and picked up Laxus and then grabbed the plate with his free hand. "I'm going to take him into the other room so he can eat. Mira, would you like help when I'm done?"

"Sure, that'd be great." When Freed had finally left, Mira turned toward Lucy. "So, are you doing okay this morning?"

"You heard about what happened?"

"Lisanna told me." Mira gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid everyone knows. Master spoke with Cana, too. She feels pretty bad."

Lucy groaned. "I wasn't trying to get her in trouble."

"I know, but she should know better by now," Mira said as she started another batch of eggs. "She's been drinking long enough to know how to watch her tongue when she's drunk."

"I still feel bad." Lucy turned to look out the window, but her gaze caught on the calendar. When she saw what day it was, she felt the sadness in her well up again. She pushed away from the counter and headed out of the kitchen.

"Lucy, if you decide you want to be alone, just let me know okay?" Mira's voice distracted Lucy for a moment. "And I understand that you may not want to be around everyone right now, but I think it would be good for you."

Lucy didn't turn around as she listened. She could just see Freed through the doorway at the end of the hallway, talking to Laxus as he ate on the tabletop in the dining room. He was so good with Laxus- she'd been so grateful when Freed had offered to take him.

The Raijū had been too sick to survive on his own in the wild, and once they'd found the right medicine for him, it had been impractical to try and put him back since he needed consistent doses of his medicine. Lucy had not been willing to keep him herself, though. She'd been too raw, unwilling to care for anyone else just yet.

Laxus continued to eat as Freed talked to him, quietly enough she couldn't hear the words, but she could tell the Raijū was listening. His ears remained pointed Freed's way the entire time he ate.

"Lucy?"

Mira's voice drew Lucy's attention her way once more, and the blonde nodded. "I know. I'll let you know if it becomes a problem." Lucy tightened her hold on her bag before heading up the stairs.

When she finally entered her room, she let go of the tension in her body and just fell forward onto her bed. Before she could even begin to try and sort through her thoughts, the door shut with a firm click and she heard her lock turn.

Head pounding, she shot out of bed, a key in hand. When she realized it was just Levy, she hissed in pain and allowed herself to fall back onto the bed. "Did you have to scare me like that?" she groaned.

"Where did you go?" Levy demanded.

"I was walking." Lucy sat up and covered her eyes with her hands. "It's my property, I can do what I want on it. Why are you yelling?"

"Because I've been waiting for you." Levy crossed her arms. "We need to talk."

"Talking is what I was trying to avoid by walking around the woods, so if you-"

"Dragneel has Igneel's scales."

Lucy froze, not sure she heard correctly. "What?" When Levy repeated her words, the blonde got mad. She dropped her hands, ready to scold Levy for lying to her, but when she saw Levy's face, she closed her mouth before uttering a word. Her friend was totally serious. She'd known Levy long enough to know her expressions, and Levy was completely certain about what she was saying.

"How can you be so sure?"

"How can you not?" Levy asked. She hesitated as she looked at Lucy's bag, still hanging from her body, but then she marched forward and opened the bag before Lucy could stop her. She took out the chest and then opened it, careful not to touch the scarf, but after studying it for a moment held it out to Lucy. "Look at it. Dragon scales are unique to every dragon, same as human fingerprints. Natsu said his father made this for him out of his own scales.

"Lucy, the dragon's scales have this same pattern." Levy put the chest on Lucy's lap, her expression intense as she leaned closer. "Dragneel has the exact same scales as Natsu's father."

Head pounding, Lucy felt completely overwhelmed for a minute while she tried to process the information. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she closed and then hugged the box to her chest. "That doesn't make any sense."

"I think you and Gajeel may be wrong," Levy said. "I don't know for sure, obviously, but this leads me to believe that he really _is_ a drake. He's definitely not Igneel, so that's the only other explanation that makes sense.

"Lu," she continued, "if I'm right, then that also means that he's been abused for a long time. Long enough he might fight you about going back to his previous owner."

"I won't let him," Lucy insisted, momentarily distracted from the possibility Gajeel had been wrong about his assessment. "I've already filed a report and I've taken pictures and Prolyusica said she'd put something together as well. He's not going back, and I'm positive I can convince him he wants to stay." She ran her hand over the chest as she looked towards the window. "He's a lot like Natsu, so I think I can easily win him over and keep him here. Even if he has the same stubborn loyalty Natsu had, he's smart enough to realize he'd be better off here."

Levy thought once more about the dragon's scales and how they tied in with the books she had back home. "Lucy, I wanted to talk to you about something I read-"

"Lucy!" Mira's voice floated through the closed door just before she knocked. "You have a call in the kitchen! He says it's rather urgent."

Lucy frowned but slowly got up from her bed. "I'm on my way, Mira."

Levy bit her tongue as she watched Lucy slowly stand. "Want me to wait up here?"

"Up to you," Lucy said with a shrug. "I was going to take a nap, but I'm not sure if I'll be left alone long enough for that."

"You know better than to drink on the anniversary," Levy said softly.

"Yes, but I feel better when I'm doing it," Lucy said. "I'll be back soon."

"I'll join you in a minute. I'm just going to use the restroom and then I'll take care of the patients while you come up here and nap, how does that sound? Mira and I will run interference for a couple hours."

Lucy gave her a grateful smile. "That would be great. Thanks, Levy." With that, Lucy unlocked the door and then headed towards the kitchen.

Levy watched her leave as she pulled out Plue's key and opened up the chest now sitting on the bed. She carefully moved aside the scarf and found a few knickknacks, a couple letters, and, as she suspected, the remaining key fragments from her lost spirit friends. With a frown, Levy returned Plue's to the chest before closing it and leaving the room. As she made her way down the stairs, she wondered how she should approach the subject with Lucy about what she'd discovered during her research.

Lucy entered the kitchen and found both Mira and Freed busy. She grabbed the phone and took it with her out onto the porch. "Hello, this is Lucy Heartfilia. How can I help you?"

"Ms. Heartfilia, this is Zeref. How are you today?"

Mentally coming up blank on the name, Lucy answered the question. "I'm doing very well, thank you. May I ask why you are calling?"

"Yes, I am calling about my drake. A couple of my employees dropped him off a few days ago and I am afraid I'm going to have to retrieve him a day early. I know they told you five days, but I need him back sooner. I trust that won't be a problem?"

_What does he think this is, a daycare?_ "Actually, that won't work for me. We haven't figured out why his scales are changing yet, and to be honest, I suspect that someone at your facility is abusing him, so I am going to have to keep him until we can figure out for sure what is going on."

"I have to assure you, no one is abusing the drake. I am the only one he interacts with."

"Which by itself causes some concern. He has been friendly with everyone I have introduced him to, so I do not understand why you would limit his interactions."

"He's been friendly, you say? Hmm, that's interesting." Zeref was quiet for a beat. "Be that as it may, he is not being abused and I must retrieve him. My men will be by tonight to pick him up, around seven or so, I hope that is not too late?"

"Sir, I don't think you understand." Lucy explained to him the actions she had taken so that she would be able to rescue and protect mistreated magical creatures from abusive or neglectful owners. "I have the right to keep him here in my facility while an investigation is completed, and I have decided to invoke that right.

"You may not retrieve him at seven tonight, or tomorrow, or the day after. You must wait for him to be released by the appropriate authorities, _if_ they find no foul play, which, I must tell you, seems unlikely to me."

"That drake-"

"What is his name?" Lucy asked, cutting him off.

"Excuse me?"

"What is the drake's name?" Lucy repeated carefully. "Your men couldn't even give me a name to refer to him with, let alone anything else about him."

"I don't think I see how this is relevant," Zeref said.

"Also, I believe you are lying to us about him being a drake." Lucy's head began to throb in earnest, but she did her best to ignore it. "His bone structure is completely wrong for that, and we found the scars where wings could be. I believe he is a _dragon_, and I don't know how you thought he could stay here for multiple days without us figuring it out."

"I assure you, he is a drake. His shape is unique, I'll grant you that, but those scars are not from having wings removed, since he never had wings. He got himself stuck when he was younger and was cut along his back trying to get himself out. That is where the scars are from."

"Where did you get the scales for him?" Lucy asked.

"That is irrelevant," he said before moving on. "And I have never abused him. Why would you think such a thing?"

"We found where you've been injecting him. I'm not sure what you were putting in him, but since we gave him a cleansing potion, it's left his system and his lethargy and lack of appetite has completely vanished."

"Oh dear, then it's a good thing I'm retrieving him early," Zeref said, sounding concerned.

_Is this man even listening?_ "I'm sorry, but I still have not agreed-"

"He's on medication that must be injected every few days for a health issue. That is why he was only brought there for the short term. I will have to make sure to have a dose ready for him tonight," he added quietly.

Lucy took a breath and forced herself to sound as patient and professional as she possibly could. "Sir, as I said before, I cannot and will not be returning him to you today or any day in the near future. After an investigation it's completed, if no foul play is discovered, then he can be returned to you, but for now he will be staying here with me and we will continue to work on figuring out what's wrong with him."

Zeref was quiet for so long, Lucy began to worry that he might have just hung up. Eventually, though, he did speak again. "Ms. Heartfilia, I am sorry that requesting your help has resulted in so much trouble. I must admit that I was worried for his health for a brief time, but as his condition has not worsened, I no longer am and I _will_ be retrieving him this evening.

"Whatever this investigation is you are trying to start…" His voice grew quiet and cold, making the hair on the back of Lucy's neck stand up. "I suggest you retract whatever paperwork or complaints you have made thus far and return my drake to me this evening without a fuss. If you do, I will forget all of this happened and leave you be. If not… I'm afraid I will have to take action in a way you will not find pleasant."

Lucy bristled at the threat. Despite the bit of fear she'd felt, she refused to be intimidated by this man. Natsu never would have backed down over a few threatening words and she wouldn't either. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

Zeref sighed. "Then I guess we'll have to do it the hard way." There was a click and then silence. Lucy slowly lowered the phone as she hit the off button.

This was not good…


	15. Chapter 15

**I think we're getting there guys. I'm thinking five more chapters, max. I'm really excited for Zeref to show up, but I'm doing my best not to rush it. **

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Lucy's fingers were numb, but she managed to set down the phone before it dropped to the floor. As she slowly sat down on the stairs, she felt a chill begin to fill her, all the way down to her bones.

She'd never even met the man but she knew deep down something bad was going to happen. She didn't doubt a man with a voice that cold could be a threat. With a sigh, she put her head in her hands and cursed her emotions for getting the better of her. If not for her hangover, she would be able to think better. Instead, her fear was beginning to take over and she couldn't come up with a plan.

Something nudged her body and she looked up to find Dragneel at her side. He was hunkered down as far as he could, looking unsure as he nudged her leg. "What are you doing out?" she whispered. He lowered his head again and whined. With a smile, she leaned forward and rubbed his snout. "Levy didn't put you back, huh? That's okay." She laughed when he leaned into her and made her fall onto her back. "Okay, okay, calm down. My head is killing me and this isn't helping."

Dragneel grabbed her shirt carefully and lifted her back into a sitting position. "What am I going to do buddy? Zeref called. He wants you back." At the name, Dragneel's purring stopped and his eyes widened. As Lucy watched, she couldn't help think that he looked torn. His expression seemed to bounce back and forth between sadness and fear. Eventually, he focused on her again and hummed as he leaned into her.

_Miss him._

_Pain._

_Don't wanna go back._

_Should go back._

_Where I belong._

_Where I belong?_

_Stay._

_Lucy… _

"Does that mean you'd like to stay?" The dragon pushed his head more firmly into her side, hiding his eyes. "I'm sorry buddy. I know you probably care about him, but I just can't send you back until I'm sure he's going to take good care of you. You know that's all I want right?" She nudged his head away so she could look into his eyes. "I don't want to take you away from him if I don't have to, even if I would like you to stay. I just want to make sure you'll be okay."

Dragneel hummed again before burying himself into her side once more. Lucy cuddled up to his nose, and after a while, his warmth lulled her to sleep.

_Lucy was doing her best to catch her breath when she was suddenly knocked over and surrounded by a familiar heat. "Damn it- Natsu! I- can't breathe!"_

_His weight vanished, but he didn't let her go as he sat up. His arms were iron vises around her, but they weren't crushing her. "Are you okay?"_

"_I'm fine- just need- a minute."_

_Natsu remained tense as she slowly caught her breath. When she finally let out a long breath and leaned into him, he relaxed and hugged her. "Don't scare me like that again."_

"_Don't scare _you!" _Lucy pulled away slightly. _

"_Yeah! _You _are the one who ran into an obvious trap! Why did you let him bait you like that?"_

_Lucy looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "He was bad mouthing you… I can't just stand by while someone insults you like that."_

"_Luce, you know I'm not one to back down from a fight, but you got reckless." He leaned his forehead against hers. "They are just words," he whispered. "Words from someone like him mean nothing. His opinion doesn't matter." He sighed. "You shouldn't let _anyone's _words get to you like that. You should think before you act in a fight."_

_Lucy blinked up at him, surprised, before she began to chuckle and then laugh. Soon, she was falling over, laughing so hard she was having trouble breathing again and tears were falling from her eyes. _

_When she finally pulled herself back together, she found Natsu sitting with his arms and legs crossed, a bemused expression on his face. "You done?"_

"_Yes," she reassured him before taking in a deep breath. _

"_What was that about?"_

"_It's just funny to hear all that coming from you," Lucy pointed out as she moved back into the circle of his arms._

"_Why? I can give good advice too, you know."_

"_Guess I must be a good influence on you."_

"_What?! Why do you get the credit?"_

"_Because _you _certainly don't follow that advice."_

_Natsu sputtered. "What? Why-"_

"_One word," Lucy said, raising a finger. "Gajeel."_

_He scoffed. "He doesn't count."_

"_Alright, what about literally anyone else in the guild?"_

_Natsu's cheeks pinkened, but Lucy only chuckled as she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. It was a soft kiss, and when she pulled away, she could see the heat in his eyes that meant he didn't want to stop. "Thank you."_

_He blinked at her, surprised. "Thank you? For what?"_

"_For reminding me that I don't care about others' opinions." She placed her hand on his cheek and whispered, "Only yours."_

_Natsu gave her a soft smile before pulling her close again to kiss her properly._

"Lucy?"

The blonde shot up and hissed as her head pounded in response. She saw Wendy hesitantly coming from around the porch. "Good morning, Wendy."

"Are you feeling better today?"

"Depends on what you mean," Lucy said with a grimace. Dragneel eyed the girl as she made a wide berth around him, but didn't do anything else as she came to sit at Lucy's side. "I'm not upset about what Cana said, if that's what you mean."

"Is something else wrong?"

"Just a hangover." Lucy tried to open both eyes to look at her friend, but closed one only a few seconds later. "I know better than to drink around this day but… you know." She saw Wendy watch her for a little bit before she gave her a small smile.

"Promise you won't tell the others?" Lucy wasn't sure what the little dragonslayer was going to do, but she nodded anyway. Wendy lifted both hands and held them on either side of Lucy's head. As her hands began to glow, a cooling feeling surrounded Lucy's head, slowly erasing the pounding pain. When Wendy eventually pulled her hands away, Lucy was not only headache free, but she felt more awake and refreshed than she had in a long time.

"Wow, that's amazing. Thank you, Wendy." Dragneel leaned forward, looking tense, but Lucy rubbed his nose and reassured him she was okay. "Why don't you want the others to know you can do that?" Lucy asked.

"Because if they knew, they'd drink themselves silly every night and then ask me to fix them all every morning."

Lucy chuckled. "Yeah, you're probably right." She leaned against Dragneel's nose and then glanced around her property. "I am glad you guys came to visit," she said.

Wendy smiled at her. "I am, too, although I'm sad we didn't see more of you last night."

"Yeah… I'm sorry, too."

"I understand, though." Wendy glanced behind them at the kitchen door. "Between you and me," she said quietly, "I don't believe he's gone either."

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Really." Wendy gave her another smile. "I feel like we'd know if he was gone. Natsu wouldn't go down without a fight, and since we haven't heard about any mountains being knocked down, or any lakes drying up overnight, or craters or anything like that, I don't think he's gone. I think he's biding his time so he can come back to us." She grabbed Lucy's hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "To you." When she pulled away, she scooted to the side. "Incoming."

"Incom-" The door blew open and a burst of light shot through, coming to a stop between Lucy and Wendy to reveal Laxus, tails crackling.

The suddenness of his arrival caused Dragneel to yank back, a growl and fire building up in his throat. Laxus didn't seem at all perturbed; he merely huffed and then looked up at Lucy with an expectant expression.

Lucy rubbed Raijū on his head, right between his ears where he liked. "Hey little guy."

Wendy whispered, "Lucy…"

Lucy looked up to see Dragneel still ready to attack, so Lucy held out her hand in his direction. "It's okay, he's friendly." Dragneel closed his mouth, but he continued to growl faintly. "Come on, come here."

Eventually, he leaned into her hand, his eyes focused on the little creature. "This is Laxus. He's a friend, see?" Lucy continued to rub between Laxus' ears. The dragon watched for a while before finally seeming to relax. When Lucy praised him, he closed his eyes and leaned into her with a content sound. "See? Nothing to worry about." As he completely relaxed, Lucy suddenly remembered Wendy and looked her way to see the girl staring at her with wide eyes.

"That was amazing."

"Not really," Lucy chuckled. "He's always been fond of me."

"I see…" Wendy watched him for a while. "He reminds me of-" She cut herself off, looking away. "Nevermind."

"You were going to say Igneel, weren't you?" When Wendy looked at her with surprise, Lucy gave her a soft smile. "I see him, too. Honestly," she said as Laxus moved forward to sniff at Dragneel, "I see Natsu, too."

The girls continued to watch as Dragneel pulled away from the porch, watching Laxus as the Raijū began to walk around him. The dragon didn't seem to know how to respond, so he jumped when the little creature suddenly disappeared. Dragneel looked around quickly, searching for him. He was surprised when Laxus suddenly appeared again, sitting on his nose, his crackling tails twitching. The Raijū smirked and then disappeared again, making Dragneel growl. He spun in circles, trying to find the little creature, when he was suddenly knocked over by a different flash of light.

Sting came out of his light, his mouth pulled into a grin, as Dragneel was hit from another side by a dark shadow. When the shadow revealed itself to be Rogue, Dragneel perked and growled in his direction. When Laxus blasted passed and knocked Sting over, Dragneel chuckled, causing Rogue to shoot a ball of shadows his way. He dodged and then chased the drake until he disappeared in his shadows again.

"Play fair!" came a voice. Lucy and Wendy looked over to see Yukino heading their way. She gave the pair a smile as she sat down. "Good morning you two."

The girls both greeted her as well. Suddenly, Laxus shot under the drakes, knocking them off their feet. The pair jumped back up and began to chase after him, Dragneel hot on their tails.

Yukino sat down on a lower step and chuckled as she watched the creatures fighting together. "I wanted to let my boys out for a bit, but I didn't realize Dragneel was out as well."

Wendy glanced at Lucy as the blonde smiled and chatted with the other woman, obviously feeling much better. She wondered if Lucy realized just how terrible she'd looked earlier and decided not to mention it to her. She'd be mortified to know people had seen her looking so awful.

She turned back toward the yard and watched as the drakes and dragon tried time and again to catch Laxus and fail. Even when Sting and Rogue used their light and shadows, they couldn't catch the little Raijū. He appeared occasionally and stood still, mocking them with little yips and crackles of lightning, only to shoot off again when they chased him. At one point, Dragneel had spit some fire at him, but a firm word from Lucy had him closing his mouth and once more trying to catch him using only his speed.

Wendy was more than impressed- she was in awe that Lucy had trained the dragon so successfully. And so quickly. She'd never seen anything like it. She'd been raised by a dragon, and she'd heard Gajeel's story about his father. She'd even met a couple dragons, before they'd all disappeared, and she'd never known one to act like the one in front of her. What's more… she couldn't shake the feeling that he was familiar.

"I have a little work I should get to," Lucy said as she got to her feet. Suddenly she frowned and looked around. "Speaking of work…"

"What's wrong?" Wendy asked.

"It's getting late in the morning already and none of my spirits are here yet. It's strange…"

"I'm sure they're fine," Yukino said. "You'd know if there was a problem."

"I suppose." With a final wave, her frown still stuck in place, she turned and headed back inside.

"I should probably round those two up and put them back," Yukino said as she got to her feet. As she did, Rogue began a round of rather hearty coughs, causing Yukino to rush to his side.

Only a few minutes later, after Lucy collected Dragneel on her way to the shed, Wendy found herself alone on the steps with a smug looking Laxus at her side. She was rubbing his head, distracted, so she didn't realize at first that someone had joined her.

"Good morning, Wendy."

Wendy looked up and saw Levy rounding the end of the porch and coming her way. "Oh, good morning Levy. I didn't see you over there, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I haven't been standing here long." She hugged the books in her arms closer to her before moving to sit on the other side of Laxus. The Raijū looked her way, but something inside seemed to distract him, because he yipped before turning and heading back into the house.

Once Levy was seated, she opened her mouth, but then closed it again before saying anything. She seemed to be trying to find the words for whatever she wanted to say, so Wendy remained silent, patiently waiting. While she did, her attention was momentarily drawn towards the shed, where Natsu was still walking with Lucy. She'd stopped to grab her cart on the way, and Dragneel was currently trying to steal snacks from one of the bags. When Lucy noticed, she turned around and pushed his nose away from the cart and then shook a finger at him. The dragon dropped his head and a moment later, Lucy's face softened and she reached up to rub his nose before grabbing something from one of the bags and giving it to him.

"You wanna talk about the dragon, don't you?" Wendy asked.

Levy's shoulders dropped and she cocked her head. "How did you know?"

The girl smiled. "Just a feeling."

"Well, you're right, I have some questions." She set down the books next to her and opened up to a few tabbed pages. "You've actually interacted with dragons, and I've already spoken with Gajeel, but his father mostly taught him about fighting. He didn't tell him anything about drakes or much else, so I'm hoping Grandeeney might have told you something that will help me decipher this," she said as she gestured at the books.

"Sure," Wendy said, turning to lean against the banister. "Ask away."


	16. Chapter 16

**Just reminder, because things are going to start getting weird really now, that this is an AU mix of FT and the real world and something of my own design. Also, I know very little about the Spriggans, so when they show up, I'm going to do my best to try and write them in character, but I haven't seen any episodes with them, so it's going to be a lot of guesswork.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

"You're awfully tense," Levy pointed out. Lucy was standing next to her, waving as the FairyTail bus finally pulled away.

Lucy didn't respond. Instead she watched the bus disappear into the trees as she thought about the conversation she'd had with the master.

"_My child, is it okay if we talk?"_

_Lucy turned away from Dragneel as she finished reactivating the runes on his enclosure. "Hello, Master. Of course we can talk."_

_Makarov smiled as he turned and led the way through the shed. "It's about what happened last night."_

"_Oh, Master, please, I don't want to talk about," Lucy rushed to say. "I'm not upset with Cana, either, so please don't yell at her on my behalf."_

"_I've already spoken with her. I only reminded her that she should not judge you for still believing in your partner. Our guild was built on love and trust." He gave her a fond smile. "I have to say I am rather proud of you, actually. That you still believe in Natsu even after all this time."_

"_Master?"_

"_Natsu has gotten into more than his share of fights and been pitted against more powerful wizards than himself. It's hard to think that anything could defeat him."_

"_I don't think there's anything that could," Lucy said. "At least, not completely. He's always found a way to overcome any obstacle, eventually."_

_Makarov hummed a little in response. "There is one thing I'd like to warn you against, Lucy."_

"_What's that, Master?"_

"_I can respect that you have faith he will still return. Some days, I find myself thinking that it will be the day that Natsu walks through the front door of the guild, with his usual call of 'I'm back!' as though nothing has happened." He paused just before they made it to the door and looked up. "A part of me hopes, and still expects, that he will return, same as you._

"_However, I am not holding my breath, waiting for that day." He looked at her sternly. "I would encourage you to do the same. Continue to believe in him, continue to hope that he will return, because someday he might. Just do not allow that hope to stop you from living your life. There is always the chance that he won't return, Lucy, and I do not want you to have wasted your life waiting for something that isn't coming, alright? _

"_I am proud of the work you are doing out here. As proud as I am of all my children, perhaps even more because you are doing it with so little help. Be that as it may," he added as he finished making his way to the door and outside, "remember that you have a life to live. Helping others is a worthwhile endeavor, but you must remember to do something for yourself as well. Whether that is visiting us, writing, finding other jobs or hobbies to entertain yourself- just remember to make time for yourself, alright?"_

_Lucy agreed to make sure she did, and Makarov gave her a smile as he squeezed her hand, the one with her FairyTail emblem. "And remember to come visit your family, alright?"_

"Lucy?"

"Sorry." Lucy turned towards Levy. "Just got distracted." She pushed herself away from the railing. "Juvia is ready to leave. I'm going to get a transport set up for her tomorrow."

"Lucy-"

"I'll probably also going to set one up for Gray as-"

"_Lucy._" Levy moved in front of her friend and crossed her arms. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something has been bothering you all day. What is it?" Levy placed a hand on her arm. "Don't lie and tell me everything is fine, either."

Once she was sure the bus was gone, she turned towards Levy. "Dragneel's owner called."

Levy frowned. "What did he say?"

"Well…" Lucy blew out a breath. "He said he's coming to pick up Dragneel tonight and vaguely threatened me if I followed through with starting up an investigation into the dragon's treatment."

Levy's frown deepened. "He actually threatened you? What a jerk!"

"Levy…" Lucy looked away, towards where Dragneel was still in his enclosure. "I believe him. I believe he will do whatever he has to to get Dragneel back."

Levy watched her friend begin to descend the steps and walk towards the shed. "So what are you going to do?" she asked. The blonde didn't respond right away.

They walked in silence for a while, the only sounds in the yard coming from where Yukino was with her drakes.

"I can't just give him back," Lucy whispered. "And after finding out that he's somehow connected to Igneel…" She sighed. "I'm worried, though. He's going to show up tonight, and I don't know how many more of those 'employees' of his he's going to bring. I'm afraid…" Tears gathered in her eyes as she looked around. "I'm afraid of what he'll do to this place."

Levy grabbed her hand and squeezed. "Lu, he's not going to get the dragon, and he _certainly_ won't wreck this place, I promise. You'll have me and Gajeel both here to help. And Erza promised to be here as well, remember? Her and Jellal were part of your team, they'd never abandon you at a time like this."

"I know, but Erza didn't know he'd be showing up early. They're not coming until tomorrow."

Levy flushed as she looked away. "Actually, she was planning on showing up tonight." She shrugged when Lucy looked at her with confusion. "She said she wanted to spend some time with you. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I feel like I should tell you now."

Lucy sighed. "Knowing that does make me feel a bit better, thank you."

"As for the others." Levy grinned and threaded her arm through Lucy's. "Who can _honestly_ stand up against a dragonslayer's mate, let alone two?"

Lucy laughed, feeling a bit better. "I suppose you're right. And Dragneel has a say in who he stays with." They began to move forward again. "Not to brag, but I'm pretty sure he'll choose me." She thought about that look she'd seen in the dragon's eyes earlier in the day, but chose to ignore it. "Come on, let's go let him out. And Juvia and Gray, too. Might as well let them stretch out a bit since they're leaving tomorrow."

"Lucy?"

"Yeah?"

Levy squeezed her hand once more. "It's going to be okay."

Lucy smiled and squeezed Levy's hand before releasing it. "I know."

"Just out of curiosity," Levy continued, "why didn't you tell the guild? If they'd known, I bet every one of them would have stayed to help you."

The blonde shook her head. "It's not their fight, even if they are family. Plus," she gave her friend a wry smile, "if they were involved, my entire property would be destroyed." Levy gave her a weak smile in return, but before she could argue further, she was interrupted.

There was a sudden pop and Leo, in his regular form, landed on his feet in front of her. "Damn it, why is it also so uncomfortable when he does that?" he groaned as he leaned over to plant his hands on his knees.

"Leo?" Lucy put her hands on his shoulders to help steady him. "What are you doing here? Like this? I didn't summon you."

"I know." He straightened himself with a hiss. "Gah, I'm glad I don't have to do this much."

"Leo!"

"Sorry Lucy, but it's not fun being sent here by the king. It's different when we're summoned, or we come on our own, or open our own gate. It's a heck of a lot more uncomfortable when he does it."

Lucy stared at him in shock. "The Spirit King? Why did he send you?"

"To warn you." He was honestly relieved to see Levy standing at his master's side. "You're in trouble, Lucy."

"What? Why? What did I do?"

"You've pissed off the wrong person," he answered. "I'm afraid you're going to need some help with that dragon's owner."

Lucy felt her stomach drop. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he won't be persuaded with pretty words to leave the beast here. You're going to need help against him, Lucy." His mouth thinned. "He's the black wizard Zeref, the one who supposedly died years ago."

"_What?_" both girls shouted at the same time.

"That's not the worst part," Leo said. "He's also the father of some of the most destructive and evil demons to ever walk this earth."

"What?! How is- that's not-" Lucy couldn't seem to find the right words to ask what she wanted to know.

"The spirits have had to fight against him before, and the king has worked to try and prevent his creations from roaming around in the past, but we had no idea that he was still around.

"We've sealed away most of the demons he created a long time ago. They were experiments, and he didn't seem to care that we'd taken them. He only cared that we tried to punish him for creating such creatures. He's crafty, and we weren't ever able to catch him. After all this time, we thought he had died.

"I went to try and investigate the place that the dragon came from and found out that that wasn't true, and now I'm worried because he seems to still be experimenting. We haven't had any other problems with demons, so I'm guessing he got better at disposing of them once he was done."

"I… don't even know how he'd go about doing that," Lucy said.

"It's not important right now. What is, is that he appears to have been trying to combine his demons with other creatures."

Lucy's heart sank. "Like Dragneel."

"Yes." Leo hesitated, but then continued. "Lucy, he has complete control over the demons he creates, so any creature that he combines with a demon would similarly be under his control." The look he gave her felt like a warning.

"You think he can control Dragneel," Lucy said, figuring out what he wasn't saying.

"Yes. Even if you want him to stay, even if _he_ wants to stay, all Zeref has to do is speak to the demon in him, however he does that, and that dragon would die for Zeref without so much as blinking."

Levy clenched her fists. "What can we do?"

"I don't think we can do anything," Leo said honestly. "If Dragneel is here when Zeref comes, he will either take his dragon and leave, or he will fight, and he will destroy you and this place for going against him." He frowned. "I'm sorry, Lucy, but this isn't a battle you can win."

Anger flashed through Lucy, and she lifted her chin. "That won't stop me from trying."

"Lucy-"

"Leo, I can't just let that man come take Natsu away."

Leo's heart skipped a beat. "Lucy, that's not Natsu." He thought back to the bodies he'd found in that lab, to the small box of clothes he'd found that had smelled of Natsu. The smell had been old, years old, and with no other living specimen in the basement, he'd realized that Natsu must have been used and discarded among the other subjects. "And… I think you should know that Natsu is gone."

Lucy's heart stuttered. "What?" she whispered.

"Zeref… I think Zeref started that rumor about him having a brother. I don't know if it's true or not- I mean with what happened with the dragons, it's possible- but I know Natsu went to where he is." He pulled a bag out of his jacket and handed it to her. "The lab was… a mess, Lucy. I don't know how many beings lost their life there, but I know that Dragneel is the only surviving specimen left, which is why I know Zeref will be coming back for him."

Lucy couldn't hear him over the sound of her heart breaking. The bag in her hand contained the clothes Natsu had been wearing when he left the guildhall all those years ago. She pulled them out and could faintly, oh so faintly, smell the campfire and sulfur smell that always followed Natsu around. The same smell that faintly clung to his old scarf. "Natsu…"

Levy and Leo were still talking, but Lucy couldn't hear them.

She'd been wrong.

Natsu wasn't coming back.

He was dead, and this proved it. That _monster_ had killed him. She didn't know why Zeref had targeted Natsu, but she refused to let him get away with taking her partner from her.

Suddenly, Lucy lifted her head and focused on Leo again. "What about the dragon?"

"What?" Leo asked, turning from Levy.

"The dragon." She clutched the bag between her hands. "Where did the dragon come from?"

"I don't know," he answered. "I tried to find out what I could about what was going on in the facility, but I didn't get any specifics on where any of the creatures had come from."

"That's because… that's because it _is_ Natsu." She tried to get moving so fast, she tripped on the gravel beneath her feet, so Leo reached out to catch her. Lucy barely noticed, intent on getting to her house. "Natsu is the dragon!"

"What?" Leo ran to keep up with Lucy, Levy close behind. "What are you talking about?!"

"His scales," she hollered over her shoulder. "He has Igneel's scales! The only way that could be is if the dragon _was Natsu!_"

"Lucy, that doesn't make any sense!" Leo stopped as the kitchen door slammed shut behind his master. "What is happening?!"

Levy stopped next to him. "Is it not possible, then?"

Leo blew out a breath. "I don't know. It's not magic I'm familiar with."

"So it _is?_" Levy raced up the stairs and picked up the books she'd left there earlier after speaking with Wendy. "Leo, I found books that had spells and information in them about transforming people into other creatures. The notes said that the creature had to be a magical being and the person had to be a wizard." She flipped the pages to one with a diagram. "I spoke with Wendy about dragons and drakes while she was here, and combined with what this book says, I think that it _is _possible."

"Then how do you propose we change him back?" Leo snarled. "Because that would be the only way to prove that it's him."

"I don't know," Levy said, a little taken back by his attitude. "The books didn't indicate that the wizard would lose their memory. I was thinking that Zeref must have done something extra to have caused that."

"This isn't happening." Leo's hands yanked on his hair. "Ugh, why am I such an incompetent spirit!"

"What are you talking about?" Levy asked. "You're not-"

He whipped around and cut her off. "My master has spent _years_ mourning the loss of her husband and partner, and now thanks to my thoughtless words, she suddenly thinks that he's hanging out on her property as a dragon who doesn't remember who he is!"

"Leo-"

"You don't _get it_." He turned furious, heartbroken eyes her way. "We spirits feel what our master feels. We got to suffer with Lucy these last few years, every single day that she missed him, worried about him, mourned him, _we felt all of it._ When this inevitably crashes and burns, she's going to be even more upset than if she'd just accepted my word that he's gone!"

"Leo, it isn't your fault," Levy said, trying to console him.

"Yes it is, and the fall out from this will be, too." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I knew him leaving was a bad idea. I knew something terrible would happen, and I was _right_." He ground his teeth together. "I should have stopped him from going."

Lucy flew out the door, startling both of them. She jumped down the stairs to the gravel driveway, Natsu's scarf in hand, and raced towards the shed.

Dragneel _was_ Natsu.

And she was going to prove it.

* * *

**If you're interested in Soul Eater, I'm also posting what was going to be a one shot today. I have some more I want to add to it, but for now, I just had to get the idea started and out of my head. Go check it out!**


	17. Chapter 17

**The site refreshed itself... and erased my A/N. Uuuggghhh.**

**Long story short, I had a funny story, I feel entitled to use 'back in the day' even though I'm not yet 30, and I didn't wanna write a fight scene with the whole guild involved. **

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Lucy skidded to a stop in front of Dragneel's enclosure and dropped the runes. Dragneel, surprised by her sudden appearance, blinked up at her slowly as he woke from a nap.

"Natsu…" She tried to catch her breath as she knelt in front of the dragon. "I know you're in there. I don't know what happened, but I know you're in there somewhere, and I'm going to pull you out!" She laid the scarf over his nose, just above his nostrils so he could see and smell it. "I have your scarf, see? You got this from Igneel when you were younger. It's made from his scales."

"You and I met after you saved me from a charm spell… Our first job together we had to collect a book, do you remember?... We saved Macao from Mt. Hakobe… We used to be on a team with Erza and Jellal… You once destroyed an entire forest trying to find me after I'd been captured by an underground dark guild. Erza beat you nearly to death for doing that, but you still carried me out of the cave after you found me… You liked to sneak into my bedroom through the window, even after we moved in together and it became _our_ room…

"The first time we said we loved each other, we were at the guild… You and I got married out by your house in the woods…" Anything that Lucy thought might help him remember, she told him.

Levy and Leo watched silently nearby as she spoke, becoming more and more frantic as she tried desperately to find the memory that would get him to snap out of whatever was happening and _remember who she was_.

"We need to stop her," Levy whispered.

"It won't do any good." Leo clenched his fists. "She won't listen to us. She needs to figure it out on her own."

"What do you think this is? Why do you think he has Igneel's scales?" Levy looked up at him and took an involuntary step back when she saw the look of rage on his face. She'd never seen him so angry.

"I don't know," Leo growled quietly, "but whatever it is, Lucy isn't going to give up on this silly dream. Even though I don't believe it's him, I don't think she'll listen to me, which means she'll fight to keep him when Zeref comes." His voice was cold as he said, "And I won't let Zeref anywhere near Lucy. Which means we'll need help to stop him."

"You think he's going to fight to get the dragon back?"

"I know he will." Leo's face suddenly fell, the anger melting away as tears filled his eyes. "I can't watch this anymore. I want to help her, but she's my master and she's made her opinion on the matter perfectly clear- she isn't going to listen to me right now. And I don't want to have to feel her heartache _and _watch it, too." He looked at Levy. "I'll be back later, before Zeref arrives." With that, he was gone, with no flash and no sound.

Lucy pressed closer to Dragneel, rattling off facts as the dragon slowly backed away. "You and Gajeel used to fight all the time! You guys first met after you attacked Phantom Lord to try and get me back when they kidnapped me." Why wasn't it working? _Why wasn't he remembering?_ Her voice began to crack and tears slowly trickled down her cheeks as she tried again and again to reach Natsu, wherever he was inside that thick dragon skull. "Natsu… please. Please come back to me."

_No cry._

_Remember?_

_No remember._

_Familiar. _

_Don't cry._

_Too much. _

_Can't make happy._

_Failing._

_My fault._

_My fault._

_My fault._

_No cry!_

_My fault!_

Lucy fell forward onto his nose and squeezed. "Please, Natsu… please remember for me." She kissed his nose and hung on with everything that she had.

Levy could sense the dragon's distress as he continued to slowly back up as Lucy babbled on and on. It hurt her to see her friend so upset, and she wanted more than anything to help, but she didn't know what to say. "Lucy-"

"_Why won't he just remember already?_" Lucy yelled, startling the poor dragon so much, he yanked away, causing Lucy to fall to her knees. He shuffled on his feet, not sure what to do, but he eventually moved towards the back of the enclosure and curled up on himself, watching with wide, worried eyes.

The blonde slammed her fists into the ground once as she began to cry in earnest. "_It's him! It has to be him! Why won't he just answer me already?! Why won't he come back?!"_

Levy walked back towards the dragon, speaking quietly to him to reassure him that he wasn't in trouble, that everything was okay. She led him to the door and then outside, warning him to stay close by, before closing the door and returning to Lucy's side.

Levy rubbed small circles on her back, murmuring quietly to her. Lucy had no idea what the blue haired woman said, but her voice was enough to help make her feel better. It took a long time but eventually Lucy lifted her head again to wipe her eyes. "Feeling better?" Levy asked.

"No," Lucy answered miserably. "I don't know what to do."

"Well, taking out your frustration on Dragneel is definitely not it."

Lucy slowly looked around. "Where is he?"

"Outside," Levy answered as she moved to kneel in front of her friend. "He was getting upset watching you cry, so I thought it was best to give you both some space."

The blonde groaned out loud. "This is so dumb." She pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes. In the quiet, Levy stopped rubbing Lucy's back in favor of fixing her hair. She carefully slid her fingers through the long tresses as Lucy collected herself.

"Do you think… Do you think Igneel might have given up his scales? Do you think Dragneel has those scales because he really is a drake?"

Levy tilted her head. "Maybe. After all, we haven't seen too many drakes. Maybe it's possible for a drake to have a physique that's more like a dragon than we've seen so far."

Lucy wrapped her arms around herself and leaned forward. "Am I just blowing this all out of proportion?" she asked.

Instead of answering right away, Levy hugged her friend. "I'm sorry about what I said last night."

"Don't be," Lucy said. She reached up and squeezed her friend's arm. "You're just trying to help. You all are." Her vision began to blur and no matter how hard she fought to keep them in, tears began to fall. "But I can't give up on him. _I can't_."

A sob escaped her before she could stop it. Another one followed, and soon tears were streaming down her face in rivers as the sobs racked her body. Levy wrapped her arms around her friend, trying to comfort her, but it was no use.

Lucy tried to deny it. She'd tried again and again, but she was afraid the part of her that still believed was breaking.

Natsu was _Natsu_. He was her _partner_. He was her _husband_. He _had promised._ She _believed_ in him.

And still, she could feel it, try as she might not to let it happen.

She could feel herself losing hope.

* * *

Leo had expected it, but still he gasped as the pain exploded in his chest. Around him, he heard several of Lucy's other spirits cry out. Even Aquarius flinched as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Aries began to cry nearby, drawing Leo's attention. He stood and went to sit with her. She leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her and Mink, who was sitting in her lap shivering violently. Leo tried to reassure them. "It'll be okay."

"What's happening?" Aries asked, fear coating her voice. Leo had to grit his teeth for a moment before he could speak.

"Lucy is losing hope that Natsu will come home."

* * *

It was a long time later that Lucy finally began to pull herself together.

She could feel it, even though she would continue to deny it. Part of her had given up. She wanted to believe, she wanted to hope, but a big part of her had lost that faith.

"You okay?" Levy asked.

"No," Lucy answered miserably, but she still gave Levy a smile. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

"I can only imagine how big of a wreck I would be under the same circumstances," Levy said as she pulled away to give Lucy some room to breathe. "So don't worry about it."

"Still, we don't have time for this today." She quickly wiped her face and then stood up, surprised to find Natsu's scarf in her hand. Levy gave her a knowing smile and then wrapped the garment around her friend's neck.

"I think you should keep this on today."

"Why is that?"

Levy gave her a soft smile. "Because I think it's going to be a tough evening, and if you ever even _think_ about giving in to that man, this will give you courage, and perhaps help you channel your inner Natsu." Her friend squeezed her arm. "He would be proud of you, Lucy. For what you're doing here, and also for fighting for this dragon's freedom. I know it."

"Thanks Levy." Lucy quickly hugged her friend and then pulled away with a deep breath. "Okay. I need to go call Porlyusica and Erza. We have to make sure we're ready for Zeref's arrival."

As they left the building, Levy looped her arm through Lucy's. "What are you going to do about what Leo said?"

"Which part?"

"The part about Zeref controlling his demons. If he's right, and Dragneel is infected with whatever would cause that, how are you going to get him to stay? What if he chooses to leave?"

"It's not a choice if he's being forced," Lucy said firmly, "soI will do whatever I can to help him." She glanced down. "Are you sure you want to stay and help? This will be dangerous, I suspect, if the man can control _demons_."

"Of course I do! This is my facility, too," Levy reminded her. "I can't just walk away when it's in danger. And you know Gajeel would never back down from a fight."

"Nor would we."

Levy and Lucy turned to find Erza and Jellal had already arrived. Dragneel was laying on the ground looking dizzy with Erza's foot resting on his nose while Jellal stood nearby with a small smile on his face.

"Dragneel, what did you do?" Lucy asked.

The dragon's eyes turned her way, but he seemed to be having trouble focusing. "I apologize, Lucy, but he was being rather rude so I had to teach him a lesson," Erza informed her.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Lucy gave Jellal a quick hug before joining Erza, who pulled her into a tight embrace. "Do you mind letting him up now?" Lucy asked as she gasped for breath.

"Of course." Erza gave the dragon a firm look before she raised her foot and moved away.

"I'm surprised we didn't hear you show up," Levy said.

"Erza didn't give the dragon much of a chance to fight," Jellal said. "I think she might have actually knocked him unconscious for a little bit."

Dragneel grumbled a little as he shook his head and tried to rise. After he fell over the second time, he just slithered his head over to hide behind Lucy, who laughed. "Did you get yourself in trouble?" Lucy found herself staring hard at the scales on his side, missing some of the conversation. She managed to pay attention again in time for Levy to finish telling Erza what was going on.

"So there's going to be a fight?" Erza smiled. "Good. I should come out here more often. It seems your place is much more interesting than I gave it credit for."

Lucy and Jellal shared a smile as Erza began to wonder out loud which armor she should use. "I'm glad you came along this time," Lucy said.

"You know I won't be able to reign her in, right?"

"I meant because I haven't seen you in a while."

Jellal smiled. "I know. I'm sorry I haven't been around more. We've been rather…"

"Busy?"

He smiled again, looking sheepish. "Yes, more than I'd like to admit. But things have been slowing down some recently. It hasn't been as easy with half the team gone. Not that I'm blaming you," he rushed to reassure her.

"I know." Lucy looked at Levy who gave her a reassuring smile. "Actually…" She turned back to Jellal. "I was wondering if you might be up for having me back for a job soon?"

Erza fell silent at her words and Levy's smile softened. Jellal glanced at Erza before answering. "Are you planning to return?"

"No," Lucy said. "I think where I am is exactly where I need to be, but I miss you guys." Erza moved to stand beside Jellal with a warm smile. "I'd like to start going on jobs again. I don't think I've had enough adventures yet. And I… I know Natsu didn't either. I want to keep working, to keep going out and helping people. For him." Her friends all smiled at her, and she felt that part of her heart that had splintered start to feel a little better.

Even if Natsu wasn't here, she still was. She was still living, and she could still help people. She could still go on adventures.

And Natsu would want her to do that.

* * *

***Insert Evil Laugh* Didn't go where you expected, did it? Gihi.**


	18. Chapter 18

**We're getting there guys. Only two or three left, depending on how long I make them. There's a quick note at the end so give it a peak when you're done reading.**

**Also, my brain spit out another idea for Soul Eater, so check that out if you're interested!**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Lucy watched as Gray flew a few laps around Dragneel before diving behind him and throwing a snowball at the back of the dragon's head. Dragneel whipped around and spit a small fireball at the sprite. He growled when he missed, but Lucy just smiled. If she hadn't already scolded him, he'd be blowing full sized balls of flame at Gray instead. The sprite and dragon seemed to dislike each other from the start, but now that she was letting them interact, she was starting to wonder if they didn't like each other just a little bit.

Gray would sometimes smile in such a way that he looked like he was actually enjoying himself, and the one time Dragneel's attacks had gotten close to hitting Gray, Lucy had caught the panicked look on his face before Gray managed to put out the fire and then retaliate. Theirs appeared to be a friendly rivalry similar to the one Natsu had had with Gajeel, and Lucy was happy that they were making friends with each other. If only they didn't have to separate.

Lucy heard a sigh and looked over at where Juvia was watching the pair fight. She was another one who was leaving soon, and Lucy knew she would miss them both. The mermaid's infatuation with the sprite had yet to fade, and it had created some interesting interactions. Any time Dragneel got even close to hitting the sprite when they'd first started fighting, Juvia had shot water at the dragon until he'd been knocked over. She'd only stopped once Gray had gone to her and given her a firm frown and shook his head.

Levy sighed, drawing Lucy's attention from the trio. "What's wrong?" Lucy asked.

"I went through those books I told you about again, and I just can't find anything to help me figure out what could be going on with the dragon."

"It doesn't say that he _is_ the dragon, does it?" When Levy looked up in surprise, Lucy laughed. "I'm kidding, obviously."

"Well… it does say it's a possibility, actually." Levy moved forward and held out the book. "There is supposedly an old ritual you can perform to turn a wizard into a magical creature-"

"Which we knew," Lucy said.

"Yes, but what we didn't know before is that the most successful of these mutations happened when using an elemental wizard of some kind, not just any wizard. All of it is speculation, rumor, second hand accounts, but there's a story in here of a dragonslayer turning _into_ a dragon."

"You mean like Acnolognia?"

"Well, yes, but no."

"Levy, I don't think I want to hear anymore hearsay." Levy looked up to find her friend frowning intently into the distance. "That dragon isn't Natsu. As much as I'd like for that to be him, waiting for me to figure out how to fix him, it's not and I can't take the disappointment that waiting for him causes anymore." She gave Levy a smile. "The dragon is just that, a dragon. Or perhaps he's a drake, I don't know.

"At any rate, he's here for us to help him, and that's all I care about right now." Lucy looked away again. "Zeref is going to come here tonight to try and get him back and we will stop him. He'll probably try again and we'll continue to stop him again. Tomorrow, after Porlyusica comes out here, we'll get whatever is in the drake or dragon out of his system and hopefully have an easier time figuring out if there is actually something wrong with him. And once he's better…" Lucy sighed. "We'll find him a new home, and that'll be that."

Levy bit her lip. "What if he wants to stay here."

Lucy shook her head. "I'm not looking for anyone else to live here with me. Human or beast, I'd like to stay by myself." She looked at Levy. "I have you guys, and the creatures we help. That's all I need."

"Lucy-"

"It's not because of Natsu," Lucy cut her friend off. "Well, it kind of is, but not because of what you're thinking. I'm not ready to try and love anyone else. Not yet." She got to her feet. "Shall we?" I want to get these guys back in the shed before dinner. I don't want them out while Zeref is here." Levy nodded and then set aside her book to help.

That evening, dinner was a success, mostly because Mira had somehow managed to find time to cook them something before she'd left that morning. Freed had left just before the meal, promising to be back before he was needed. Whatever he had to do had apparently been so important he hadn't told them what he was up to before he rushed out, leaving an annoyed Laxus behind. After the meal, Lucy had excused herself to go sit on the porch.

It got dark early this time of year, so Lucy could already see the moon coming out and a few stars on the darkened horizon. She stared at those little pinpricks as she mentally prepared herself.

It was almost seven, and Lucy had dressed for battle. It had been years since she'd used her whip, but it felt good to have it on her belt again, and her keys were strapped onto their usual place at her hip. As she waited for the sounds of her incoming company, Lucy leaned against the railing and looked up at the darkening sky.

"Hey mom."

It had been a while since Lucy had spoken to her mom. Usually she wrote to her, but it had become somewhat impractical to keep all those letters, so she'd started talking to her as well, to save some space in her house.

"I did something kind of stupid, but I did it for a good reason. I know you would be proud of me. I've never been very good at keeping my nose out of things like this, and someone had to speak up for those without a voice. Besides, I've got plenty of words to spare.

"I'm probably going to get hurt tonight, but that's okay. Bodies heal. You know I've been hurt enough by now to know that. It's still the emotional wounds that hurt the most." Lucy took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"Mom… I was wondering if you've met him yet." Tears filled her eyes, but she didn't let that stop her. "I think you'd like him, a lot. He's got a lot of personality, and a good heart. Honestly, I think it's nearly impossible to dislike him. Even Gajeel likes him, though I think he'd rather lose an arm than admit it."

Her hands tightened on the railing. "I don't know why Zeref wanted him, but I intend to find out. I _will_ get answers. The guild deserves to know what happened. And so do I." Tears began to trickle slowly down her cheeks as Lucy tried to find her next words. It had been a while since she spoke to him, but addressing him like _this_, like she did her mother, felt… even more like she had given up.

Try as she did, though, she couldn't do it.

She wasn't ready to throw in the towel yet.

She wasn't ready to give up.

Lucy clutched his scarf with both hands and closed her eyes. "I will find you," she whispered into the scarf. "I will find you, and I will bring you home, Natsu. I promise."

A light appeared at her side and Leo appeared. Lucy looked up, noting that he didn't seem to be in pain this time, although he looked unhappy. "Did you come on your own this time?"

Leo's expression was pinched as he nodded. "I prefer to be here this way. On my own power, for you." He came forward, without her needing to say anything, and wrapped her up in a hug.

Lucy was glad that she had managed to pull herself together before her spirit appeared, or she was sure she would have fallen apart in his arms. "Are you ready for this?" Leo asked.

She nodded. "Are you?"

Leo pulled back and grinned as he wiped the remnants of a tear off her cheek. "I'm always ready." His ears suddenly twitched and he cocked his head. "Your visitors will be here soon."

"Then I'd better go get the others." She glanced at her watch. "Seems Freed is going to be late to the party."

"You'll have the rest of us," Leo said as he let her go and grabbed her hand. "We'll make sure it's enough."

Lucy nodded and then took a deep breath. She focused on loosening her shoulders as she let it out. After another breath, she looked up and smiled at Leo. "I'm ready."

"That's my master," he said with a grin. "Where do you want me?"

"How about you go get the others while I go greet our guests? You can stay on the porch while I talk to him. Perhaps, if we're lucky, he'll agree to leave."

"Maybe." The look on Leo's face told her he didn't think it was a possibility, but he didn't say so. "I'll go let the others know it's time."

Lucy stepped down the stairs and walked towards the front of her house. Moments later, the same truck that had arrived days before and dropped Dragneel off cleared the trees, heading for her property. Another vehicle followed behind it, and Lucy forced herself to relax. She'd try to talk this out first, just as she had told Leo she would. And if not…

She was ready for a fight.

Her hands were folded calmly in front of her as the vehicles pulled to a stop in front of her house. One door opened and one man stepped out with a mild smile on his face. His hair and clothes were all black, except for a white shall thrown over one of his shoulders. He closed his door and then walked towards her until he was about ten feet away.

"Hello, Ms. Heartfilia."

"Hello, Zeref."

* * *

**Okay guys, things are about to get pretty crazy, as I'm sure you expected. This next part will take some time to write, because I have to do some research to figure out which Spriggans I want in the fight. I want to be as true to the characters as I can, so I hope you can all be patient.**

**See you next time, guys, and stay safe!**


	19. Chapter 19

**So in an effort to save time, I read up on what each Spriggan's magic did and then decided to interpret it my own way. I know about a few of their fights with Fairy Tail and the other guilds, which you can see in here, but not everything works like it did in the anime. **

**BeautifulSamuari****: You are a wonderful human being, and I appreciate your wonderful words. I encourage you to check out some SE stuff! There's a few**** authors and stories for SE I've favorited if you want some recommendations for ones that are well written and interesting. Mine, of course, also being on that list haha.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Zeref smiled as he folded his hands behind his back. "So, how has my drake come along in your care?"

Lucy faintly heard the creak of a door behind her. Knowing her friends were near gave her the courage not to cower in Zeref's presence. She allowed herself to fall back into her debutante training, straightening her back and lifting her nose. "He's doing well. He is no longer lethargic, his appetite has returned, and he's no longer as sensitive to light as he was when he arrived. The black on his scales has not receded, but it hasn't spread, and we're still working on finding out how it was caused."

Zeref nodded slowly. "I appreciate that you helped him as much as you have. If you will just let me know how much I owe you for your services, I will pay you and then we will be on our way with my drake." The smile he gave her sent chills down her spine. "I am not worried about the black, so there's no need for you to continue looking for a fix."

_Because you already know what the problem is_. "I'm afraid I can't do that." Lucy saw him look beyond her, no doubt sizing up her friends.

He seemed to come to a conclusion that wasn't in her favor, because he sighed and then simultaneously all the doors in the vehicles behind him opened. "I'm sorry we were not able to come to a more amicable conclusion."

"You're the one not willing to be amicable," Lucy said. She could sense more than hear Leo join her. She glanced at him and saw that he was just behind her shoulder, looking bored and unthreatening, but she could see in his eyes that he was ready.

"I do not have the authority to hold your drake indefinitely," she said, turning back. "He would merely remain here while an investigation is run to make sure he is in a safe home and then returned later if I am given the all clear to do so..

"I do not want to take your drake from you, I merely want to ensure that he is being properly cared for."

"I have tried to reassure you that he is safe in my care," he points out. "I do not have time to wait for an investigation if I want to make sure his health does not deteriorate any more than it has."

Lucy frowned. "Excuse me? I just told you he is doing fine."

"In another day he won't be," he reassured her. "Without the proper medication anyway."

"Then I'd advise that you leave it here so we can administer it." Lucy thanked her hours with her teachers for her ability to keep her voice steady as his people completed their line around him. She could tell from here they were all powerful wizards, and just as she had assumed, they were all battle ready.

They would fight to retrieve the drake, just as she assumed they would.

"I want to ask once more that you reconsider returning him." Zeref looked around. "This is a very nice facility. I'd hate to damage it."

"Then leave!" Levy shook free of Gajeel's hand and came to stand at Lucy's side. "This is my facility as well, and I have to say I don't appreciate you threatening my friend or this property."

Zeref gave the woman a small smile. "Once I have my drake, you have my word, I will leave."

"Not happening," Levy said as she planted her feet. "So please leave."

Zeref's smile widened infinitesimally. "Or you'll call the authorities?"

"We are the only authority we'll need," Levy said.

The man took a step back and studied the group once more. "Ajeel," he called. A mostly bare chested, dark skinned man with wild hair stepped forward. "Please retrieve my drake. We'll keep these ones busy while you do."

Lucy's hand reached for her whip. "You're not going to get your hands on him, I _promise _you."

Ajeel laughed as a swirl of sand appeared at his feet and he began to fly towards the shed. Before Lucy could react, a burst of light shot his way, knocking him out of the air and to the ground. Jellal appeared at the man's feet, the glow still faintly outlining him. "I believe Lucy said the drake was staying here," he said conversationally. Before he could say any more, Jellal gasped and grabbed his side as he began to bleed.

"Jellal!" Lucy pulled her whip free, but Erza was already transforming and flying to Jellal's side. She managed to stop another cut, and the blonde woman with Zeref revealed herself with a smile.

"That was rather good," the blonde said. Erza's expression darkened as she tried to push the other woman away, but the blonde had disappeared again. During this diversion, Ajeel shot back into the air, but Jellal was with him in an instant, hiding in his starlight as he dodged the sandy attacks and tried to knock the other man down again as they climbed higher into the air.

Erza managed to block another invisible attack, and Zeref sighed. "Dimaria, please don't play long. I'd like to leave soon."

The blonde revealed herself again and grinned. "It's been so long since I fought a worthy opponent, boss. Don't begrudge me this."

Erza growled lowly. "You will regret attacking Jellal, mark my words."

"Oh please do try," Dimaria said with a grin before the pair began to fight, their ferocity increasing with every swing.

Invel came to stand at Zeref's side. "Do you want me to do something about them?"

"Leave them be," the black haired man said. "If it's a fight they want, we can indulge them." He scanned the group. "It will only take a few minutes."

"It's going to take more than that to take us down," Levy warned. A large rock suddenly flew in her direction, but Gajeel's Iron Lance stopped it midair.

"Don't you dare do that again," came the growl as he suddenly swung at the green haired woman standing behind Zeref. She dodged the first swing, but the second caught her as she landed, knocking her away.

She still managed to land on her feet as Gajeel stalked her way. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Gajeel said and swung again.

"Mind if I take care of the little one?" Larcade asked coming forward.

"As you wish," Zeref said. Levy was suddenly knocked back towards the house, but caught herself before she smashed into the porch railing.

"You're going to regret that," Levy said as she created a spear in the air and sent it flying at the white haired man. He dodged, and then jumped through the air to land near her. He swung out, sending her flying once more through the air, but she caught the post of the porch and swung herself around, landing on the other side of the house out of view.

"Shall I take care of this one?" Invel asked again as Larcade stalked toward Levy.

Zeref cocked his head. "Sure. I'll go retrieve the drake while you lot take care of the others."

Lucy's grip on her whip tightened, but once more, someone else was faster. Invel was knocked head over heels, just before Rogue and Sting appeared on either side of her, teeth snapping, saliva dripping from their mouths.

Invel righted himself with a frown. "I wasn't aware you had pets."

"She doesn't." Zeref nodded his head at something over her shoulder. "They belong to her." Invel looked passed Lucy, and Zeref sighed. "Go on. I can handle Ms. Heartfilia before retrieving my pet."

"As you wish, sir." Invel waved his hand and he was suddenly flying passed her on a slick of ice. The drakes turn and disappeared as he approached their master, knocking him over once more before arriving at Yukino's side. Yukino readied herself as Invel got back to his feet.

Leo yanked Lucy out of the way, drawing her attention back to her own fight. "This one is rather unusual." Zeref looked her up and down before his gaze stopped at her hip. "Oh dear, you're the little celestial mage I've heard about. The one who gathered the twelve zodiac keys. I'm rather impressed." His eyes widened slightly and his smile faded. "Oh. _You're_ the one they were talking about." His eyes narrowed. "I'm assuming you've figured out the scales are like Igneel's, haven't you?"

_He knew_. "Why?" she asked. "Why are they? How did you get his scales?"

"Then you've probably figured out what he is," Zeref mused, not reacting at all to her words.

"What _who_ is?"

"I suppose the question is would you have told the others?" he asked himself quietly.

Lucy's heart rate increased exponentially. She could hear fights all around her, could hear her friends and Zeref's minions cry out every so often. "Told the others _what?_"

She barely heard his next words, but when she did, her heart stopped. "We'll have to kill all of them just to make sure."

A ball of black formed in his hand and he threw it Lucy's way, but Leo managed to knock her to the side, causing it to hit her house instead. Leo's hands began to glow, but Zeref didn't seem phased. "It's pointless to resist," he said. He continued to advance on Lucy, throwing ball after ball of black energy. She continued to dodge as Leo tried to find a way to reach him. Zeref held out his hands and a sphere of black covered him in a swirling, semi opaque ball. Leo's fists were blinding as he slammed one into the shield, but once he made contact, he cried before vanishing.

"Leo!"

"I did say it was pointless." More balls of black flew in Lucy's direction, forcing her to keep moving. She pulled out her keys, flipping through them by touch as she dodged. "Open, gate of the Scorpion, Scorpio!"

When her spirit appeared, he was also on the move. He dodged several attacks before landing and shooting his sand at Zeref. Zeref's shield stopped the attack. It seemed to collect the sand, making it even larger, before it was reversed and slammed back into Scorpio with twice as much force. Scorpio cried out, and then disappeared in a blink.

Lucy somehow continued to dodge the black energy, but she was so distracted by it that she failed to remember Invel's icy path from earlier, which she managed to find and fall onto. As she fought to get back to her feet, Zeref moved forward, a much larger ball in his hands. "I think this is goodbye, Ms. Heartfilia." Not ready to give up yet, Lucy tried to catch his hand with her whip, but the other one caught the end of her weapon instead. He gave her a mocking smile before yanking the whip from her hand and then hitting her with the boulder sized ball of black magic.

"Lucy!" Levy's voice broke through the fighting, momentarily distracting a few people.

Larcade laughed as he held out his hand. "You're a feisty one, I'll give you that, but I believe that's our cue that we're leaving soon. That means our fun is over, so if you don't mind, I'd like you to take a little nap." Levy felt her entire body get heavy and her eyes hung low. He increased his spell, forcing her to grow even sleepier as he began to walk away. Suddenly, he was hit in the back by a large wave, knocking him to the ground.

He jumped back to his feet and focused on Levy once more. Her arms were hanging like wet noodles from her body and she was barely upright, but her eyes were intensely focused on him as her hands stretched out in his direction. "You think I'm going to stop fighting just because I'm a little sleepy? You don't know what kind of bookworm you're dealing with." Levy sent another wave of water at him, creating a wall of fire just in front of Larcade that caused it to erupt into boiling water as it crashed against him.

Zeref turned towards their fight and sighed. "You should know better than to turn away from an opponent, Larcade."

"So should you." A large ball of wool sprang to life around Zeref before he could turn back. Lucy stood with her key held out and Aries standing firm at her side. "You'll need more than that to kill me." Lucy's free hand clutched the now black scarf around her neck as she glared daggers at Zeref. "You'll pay for ruining Natsu's scarf."

"Of course," Zeref said, appearing unphased. "I had wondered what he'd done with it."

Lucy went cold at those words. "You… you did it, didn't you?" Leo had said so… he'd brought Natsu's clothes home for the stars' sake… but to hear Zeref say those words…

"You killed him, didn't you?" Lucy's anger swelled within. "_You_ sent out that ridiculous rumor to draw him in. You performed experiments on him. You killed my partner! _You killed my husband!_"

The ground beneath Lucy exploded, throwing her and Aries into the air. Lucy slammed into the edge of the roof and then fell in a heap on the ground. Aries cried out as she landed at her side.

"Is that what you think?" Zeref asked. "That's not quite true, but telling you about my experiments would be a waste when you're about to die." He sent out a wave of black this time, directly at her, but before it could hit, a ball of pink appeared around her and sent her flying across the yard. As she flew away, she could see the black energy hit Aries, who cried out and vanished.

"Aries!" Aries' wool managed to last long enough she bounced mostly unharmed off the side of the large shed. It disappeared before she hit the ground, however, and she landed hard on her shoulder on the sharp rocks of the gravel. She gasped as the rocks dug into her skin, but she didn't have time to gather herself. Zeref was stalking across the yard, heading her way.

He passed by Yukino, who was tethered to Sting by a long chain, desperately trying to reason with him as he attacked her. Rogue was plastered to her side, blocking the attacks as Yukino tried to talk the other drake down. Erza landed on the roof, the blonde mage on top of her with a sword held high overhead. Before she could swing it, Erza switched her armor, hiding behind the shield of her Adamantine armor.

Lucy shook her head, trying not to get distracted by her friends, and barely managed to get to her feet as another wave of black energy hit the shed above her, ripping a hole in the door. She scrambled inside, trying to move quickly.

She shouldn't bring Zeref in here, but she needed to get away. As she ran, she realized her right arm was numb and bleeding profusely. It flopped uselessly at her side, but thankfully her keys were in her other hand. As she tried to pick another key, the ground under her was once more blown apart, causing her to fly through the air before landing on her bad shoulder again. Lucy cursed as she tried to regain her footing, but before she could, something landed hard on the middle of her back.

"Now Ms. Heartfilia," Zeref's voice floated down to her, "are you still trying to get away?" Lucy tried to get her good hand under her, but he was pressing her down, forcing the air from her lungs. "There's no need to answer, it was a rhetorical question."

In her peripheral, Lucy could see both Gray and Juvia slamming against their barriers. If she could get their help-

No. No, she couldn't release them without getting to the runes to deactivate them, and she couldn't reach them from where they were. Not unless…

She looked down the aisle. There was one way, one vocal command that would completely deactivate the runes, but it would deactivate _all _the runes in the building. If she did that, Gray and Juvia would be able to help, but that would also release Dragneel and she didn't want to allow Zeref to reach him. If she did, Zeref would take him…

But she had no choice.

"Release," Lucy gasped. "Release all runes… Lucy Heartfilia… Fairy Tail's Strongest Celestial Mage." A ringing filled the air and Lucy felt herself smile just a little over Freed's release code.

When the alarms stopped, the pressure on her back instantly disappeared, allowing her to breath in sharply. The movement hurt worse than not breathing, so at least a few ribs were broken. An arm was wrapped around her and she was suddenly being pulled away. Juvia held her arm out as she continued to manipulate the waves around her, keeping Zeref contained while getting Lucy out of the way.

"Thank you," Lucy whispered. Ice suddenly formed in the water around Zeref as Gray appeared over him, his hands coated in white mist as he created an icy prison around his target.

"Go," a raspy voice said. Lucy jerked her head up to look at Juvia. The mermaid gave her a small smile before pushing her to her feet. "We'll hold him," she whispered again before encasing herself once more in water and moving towards Zeref.

Lucy stumbled back but didn't leave. She couldn't. These were her patients. She couldn't leave them to fend for themselves. Suddenly, the ball of ice shattered, sending shards of ice everywhere. Gray managed to get between Zeref and Juvia, creating a shield of ice, but Lucy was too far away. The force of the blast sent her flying. She flipped in the air a few times before slamming into a post and falling to the ground. A scream escaped her before she could contain it. Breathing was so difficult, she couldn't muster any energy to move.

"I'm tired of this game, Ms. Heartfilia." Juvia and Gray were suddenly sent flying as well. She gasped as she tried to force herself upright. "If you had just been more accommodating, this wouldn't have had to happen. There was no reason to create this conflict, so you have no one but yourself to blame."

He stopped when he reached her and squatted. "It's time to end this. I apologize that you are in pain, but that was your own fault for fighting me. It would have been swift otherwise." Lucy's heart sank as he lifted his hand once more, the black energy coating it dense and terrifying.

She couldn't believe she had messed up so badly.

She'd finally convinced herself to be better. She was finally going to return to the guild, to go on missions once more with Erza and Jellal. She was going to help people and stop shutting herself away on her property.

She was going to start living again, to make Natsu proud.

Pain engulfed her, and not from her injuries.

_She'd failed him_. Lucy lowered her head as she silently apologized to Natsu for letting him down.

_She'd failed him…_

A gust of wind overhead had her lifting her face once more to find Zeref gone, seconds before a crash drew her eyes down the aisle. The man had been knocked all the way to the other end of the building, right into the door. Lucy managed to lift herself enough to look behind her and she found Dragneel standing over her, his eyes flashing and smoke billowing from between exposed teeth.

_No touch._

_Hurt bad._

_Zeref bad._

_Protect Lucy._

_Lucy nice._

_Protect._

_No more hurt._

_**Protect**__._

Zeref returned to his feet and glared their way. Lucy could see Gray and Juvia join the dragon, the mermaid being propped against the sprite's shoulder. There was a crash against the roof, but the scuffle immediately moved off again. Lucy desperately hoped her friends were okay, but unfortunately wasn't in a position to go help them.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zeref's voice floated across the space, sounding bored and a little exasperated. "Did you not realize who I am?"

_**Protect**__._

Dragneel didn't like having to fight his owner, but he wasn't going to stand by while he hurt the little human he was so fond of. He hummed a little, the deep rumble shaking the ground around them. His owner looked surprised, but it didn't last long. "I'm here to retrieve you. Don't you want to go home?"

Dragneel glanced down and gently bumped his nose against Lucy, who murmured back. She was alive, but she wasn't doing very well. He glared at Zeref as he blew out a cloud of smoke in his direction.

"She tried to keep you from me," Zeref said as though he understood what the gesture meant. "I didn't want to hurt her, I only wanted to retrieve you, but she wanted to keep you for herself."

The dragon glanced down again, but his little human must have passed out because she was no longer moving. Her breathing was erratic and shallow and Dragneel began to grow concerned. He suddenly realized that she was bleeding, badly, but wasn't sure from where.

"How about this." Zeref stopped a couple dozen feet away. Gray and Juvia were tense, ready to attack, and Dragneel's mouth opened slightly as fire built up in his throat. "If you come with me now, I'll leave her be. I'll call off the others and no one else will get hurt, how does that sound?"

Gray snorted.

Zeref glared at the sprite, but Dragneel glanced down in surprise. He knew what a snort meant. The sprite didn't believe him.

_**Protect**_.

Dragneel huffed and moved a step forward, placing a foot in front of Lucy to block her from Zeref's view. The man frowned. "That's the wrong move to make."

A block of ice nearly as tall as he was suddenly flew through the air. He lifted a hand to block the attack, but as the ice disappeared, a fireball hit him square in the chest. He growled quietly and then stood tall. "You'll regret doing that."

_**PROTECT.**_

Dragneel shot fire out again and again, trying to hit the man as he did his best to block the shots coming his way. Gray and Juvia at his side were slowed, since the mermaid had no water to move in, so he did his best to block the attacks going their way as well. At one point, Zeref knocked out a part of the ceiling, sending wood and tin in a cascade over the trio, knocking Gray to the ground. Fearing for their safety, Dragneel charged forward, knocking Zeref farther away from the others.

Lucy opened her eyes, immediately realizing she'd blacked out. She saw Juvia at her side, cradling Gray to her chest as she tried to stop the bleeding on his forehead. She managed to lift her head enough to see the dragon fighting Zeref nearby, but it was clear it wasn't an even fight. She didn't know if Dragneel was reluctant to fight his previous owner, but he was clearly struggling in this small space.

"Alright, that's enough!" Zeref black wave that came off him was enough to push Dragneel back several paces. The plants around him in the nearby enclosures all instantly withered and died. He glared at the dragon as he kept his hands closed. "If you are going to continue being disobedient, then I have no choice but to make you leave with me."

_**Protect.**_

"I said I'd let them live if you came willingly and you have failed to do that. Now I think it's time for some punishment." A thin gold light began to weave it's way around his hands, mixing with the now familiar black. Dragneel took a step back, a whine suddenly emitting from his throat.

"What do you think, hmm?"

_**PROTECT!**_

"I think it's time to end your little human's life, don't you?" He suddenly yanked his hands apart and the ball of light slammed into Dragneel's chest. The dragon cried out and stumbled, but didn't fall.

"I was going to take care of her myself, but I think I have a better idea."

_Protect… _

"What do you think, my pet?" The black scales on Dragneel's side became glossy before they slowly spread across his body.

_Pro… te… _

"Are you hungry?" Zeref asked with a slight smile in Lucy's direction.

Dragneel's eyes, now a blood red, glowed as he turned slowly to look over his shoulder. The pupils expanded as they focused on Lucy and her body grew cold at the look in his eyes.

_Break. _

_Consume._

_Destroy._

_End._

_End it._

_End her_.

* * *

**Please don't hate me.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N at the end!**

**And as always, thanks for all the love and happy reading.**

* * *

"Dragneel…" It takes everything in Lucy not to take a step back. The beast in front of her is absolutely terrifying, but she thinks it would be a bad idea to show just how scared she is. "Dragneel, please, don't listen to him."

The drake, dragon, whatever he is, doesn't react to her words. Smoke is leaking out of his mouth and nose and he stalks forward, his blood red eyes focusing so intently on her that she almost feels paralyzed.

"Dragneel, you don't have to listen to him." What kind of magic was this? She remembered fighting Sherry years ago, but her magic had only affected inanimate objects. His demonic stare didn't waver as he continued to move forward. The thought caused a voice to float through her mind.

_Lucy, he has complete control over the demons he creates._

As Leo's words filled her head, she cursed silently. She didn't know how to counter a magic like that. If he would only listen to Zeref, there was no way to-

The key was in her hand before she'd finished the thought. As Gemini appeared next to her, she felt a small moment of relief. When they saw her, they cried out together, "Miss Lucy!"

"Don't worry about me." She continued to focus on her breathing, keeping her breaths shallow enough she could continue to pull air into her lungs. "Can you change into him? Zeref?" How strong was he? It had been a while since she'd gone on a job, sure, but she still practiced. Was she strong enough?

Gemi and Mini dash his way, but Dragneel moved to intercept them. He breathed fire at them, which they barely dodged. They tried twice more before they retreated to Lucy's side. "We can't get close, piri," Gemi said mournfully.

Dragneel began to stalk forward again. Lucy got herself up onto her knees and started to slowly move backwards. "Can you guys get Gray and Juvia out of the way? Just into one of the other enclosures. Then come back." Dragneel ignored the twins as they dashed to do as they were asked.

The ground next to her shook a little as something appeared at her side. Or rather, someone.

"Virgo?" The spirit's gaze was trained on Dragneel as she carefully helped Lucy move away.

"My magic won't let me stay long," the pink haired spirit said, "but Leo had a message for you." Virgo turned her way as the dragon - _demon_ she amended silently- began to growl. "He wanted you to know that the dragon smelled of Natsu. He apologizes for lying, but he thinks you were right." Lucy hears her next words as though through a tunnel.

"He thinks the dragon might be Natsu."

And then she's gone, dashing behind Lucy, easily dodging the fireball Dragneel shot her way. She grabbed the door and yanked it open, giving Lucy an escape as she began to fade. "If he's in there somewhere, you need to reach him," Virgo said just before she disappeared.

As Lucy's heart began to beat harder, she had to work even harder to keep her breathing even. _He thinks Natsu is in there_. How was she supposed to reach him though? She'd tried once already. Memories hadn't worked. His scarf hadn't worked. _She_ hadn't worked.

Gemini returned to her side and pressed gently against both sides to help her as she continued to crawl away. It felt like it had been hours, but it had been only minutes she was sure, since Zeref had turned him, so why wasn't he attacking? Was he waiting for her to do something? Was he waiting for another command?

Even once they'd exited the building, her spirits stayed with her. "What should we do Miss Lucy?" She didn't know which half of Gemini asked because she was still trying to figure out what to do. What would drag Natsu out of the magic? If there was some way to reach him in there, who better than her to do it, right? _But what could she do?_

"Gemini." The tears in her eyes thickened instantly. "Use it. Please. The one I asked you to save." It had been the last transformation they'd done before Natsu left, and she'd refused to use them too many times since in an effort to make sure they kept it. She'd begged them to remember it, just in case.

"You got it Miss Lucy." The pair came together in a flash and familiar feet appeared in front of her. Her gaze trailed up those old white pants, the black vest with gold trim, up to the familiar stock of pink hair.

The demon exited the building, blinking a few times, before he froze. Instead of growling as he had when Virgo appeared, he cocked his head and narrowed his gaze. His eyes stilled blazed, but he began to look confused as he stared Gemini down.

"We won't be able to hold this long if we use magic, Miss Lucy," Gemini said, and Lucy's heart crumbled at the sound of _his_ voice.

"I know." The tears were thick in her throat. "I'm hoping- I don't want you to fight him." It would put too much of a strain on her magic if they did. "I just want you to talk to him."

Gemini called out, "Oi, big and ugly!" and Lucy's ears were suddenly stuffed with cotton as a pressure built up in her throat and head. It had been _so long_ since she'd heard his voice, it was almost too hard to handle. The tears were falling in rivers off her face. Breathing became too difficult to do. She tried to crawl farther away, but her hand slipped in the puddle created by her still bleeding shoulder.

"Lucy!" Natsu's voice got closer as he knelt down to help her. "You see what you're doing?!" Lucy didn't look up at the demon. It was all she could do to keep herself together just hearing Natsu's voice, she didn't know if she could handle seeing him, too. "She's in pain! Does that not bother you at all?! Lucy is your partner!" Natsu's voice, his real voice, floated through her head as Gemini continued.

"_No matter what-"_

"She's your friend!"

"_\- I don't want to lose you-"_

"She's your wife!"

"_-but I can't not tell you anymore."_

"You said you loved her and would always take care of her!"

"_I think I'm in love with you, and it kinda scares me."_

A sob escaped Lucy. It was too much. The memories were hard enough, but to hear his voice when it's not him…

"You're not keeping your promise and you _know_ how important those are to Lucy!" Hands, familiar yet not the same, cradled her face and she opened her eyes to find Natsu's, but not quite Natsu's, looking back. "We're sorry, Miss Lucy," Gemini whispered in a voice that was _his _but not his. "It's our last idea."

* * *

Leo was curled in on himself, alone in his room, hoping and praying that something gave soon. As the leader of the Zodiac, and Lucy's strongest spirit, he'd done what a leader should do and protected his friends. It wasn't a magic he'd ever used before, but Lucy was in so much pain, he couldn't deal with it while also watching the rest of her spirits suffer.

Instead, he'd elected to take on that pain himself. The spell he'd cast temporarily intercepted the emotions of their key holder and channeled them all into him. He couldn't bear to see his friends hurting again, not like when she'd first confronted the dragon, convinced she could somehow find Natsu inside of him. It had hurt then, but it hurt worse now- so much worse, even without the added weight of the other spirits' pain. When Virgo had appeared to tell him she'd given Lucy the message, he'd asked her to leave and make sure no one disturbed him; he didn't want the others to know what he'd done. They'd be upset, and he wasn't in a position to argue with them.

Suddenly, the pain increased exponentially and he faintly heard a whispered "_We're sorry_." Who? Who was sorry? When he reached out, he realized Gemini was not in the spirit world, which meant they were with Lucy.

That pain reached a peak and he groaned out loud.

_What had they done to Lucy?_

* * *

"Can we kiss you, Miss Lucy?"

She didn't know how to respond. All Lucy could see was Natsu's face inches from hers. All she could hear was Natsu's voice asking to kiss her. All she could feel was Natsu's hands on her face. Words were impossible, so she nodded.

She couldn't move, couldn't _breathe_, as Natsu-but-not-Natsu leaned down. She was frozen as Gemini's eyes closed. They looked concerned, and sad and regretful as their mouth met hers. The lips against hers were soft, familiar, but not quite the same. All at once, it became too much.

Lucy knew what they were trying to do, and she had given them permission, but now she just wanted it to _stop_. She knew they were trying to get a reaction from the demon, but she couldn't handle it… she _just couldn't_.

As her grip on their key tightened, they pulled back, eyes wide. "We're sorry, Miss Lucy!"

"I can't-" her voice broke. "I _can't_\- handle- I can't…" she whispered. She lowered her head as she began to sob and Gemini disappeared.

She forgot about Zeref.

She forgot about the demon.

She forgot about her friends fighting.

She forgot about everything except for the fact that _he was gone_.

The pain in her chest wasn't enough to stop her as she wailed. She felt no embarrassment as she cried, as she allowed that pain to finally eclipse her entire being and drowned in it.

Zeref moved to stand next to the dragon as he faltered in the face of such anguish. "What an interesting treat," he mused, "and I didn't even have to help it along."

He turned and began to walk away as he said, "You may eat her now." Once he was done, he'd make sure the rest of her friends were taken care of. Especially now that they might have seen what he'd done. He considered retrieving her keys for a moment, to make sure her spirits didn't interfere again, but he became distracted. He'd only made it a dozen steps before he stopped. There were no sounds of the woman being eaten- no bones snapping, no tearing of flesh- and those pitiful wails still filled the air.

With a frown, he turned around and moved back towards the demon. Surprise flickered in his chest as he saw his creation watching her with sadness in his eyes. _Interesting_. "No matter," he said as he clapped his hands together, startling the beast. "I said, _eat her_." His magic leaked into his voice, enforcing his command. The demon's eyes glowed brighter and his mouth opened as he stood and moved towards the wizard once more.

A sharp pain in Lucy's chest cut off her cries, and suddenly, breathing became even more difficult. Each breath was torture, and her body wouldn't stop jerking as she hiccuped. Had a rib punctured a lung? She'd had a few cracked ribs in the past, never broken, but she'd heard stories from those who had. Pressure in her chest increased every time she breathed in and she became more and more certain that a rib had hit her lung. If she was right, then her lung was slowly filling with blood, drowning her.

Dear spirits, if she didn't get help, she might die. Her eyes were bleary from tears, but as she blinked to clear her vision, she saw the puddle of blood from her shoulder. She'd lost too much blood. Way too much.

She looked up and through her hazy vision saw the dark shape and bright red eyes of the demon moving forward. Her head was stuffed with cotton- she couldn't come up with a plan and her life definitely depended on it. Her friends were still fighting somewhere, and here she was, in a puddle of her own blood, watching her end approach her.

"I'm sorry Natsu," she whispered, because this was going to kill him. If he ever came to, if he managed to pull himself back out and remembered this moment, he wouldn't be able to handle it. If he remembered that he had killed her, it would kill him in return. She wanted to stop him, if only to save himself the pain, but she couldn't.

Her arms were numb from holding herself up. Her body ached from being thrown around and her crying. Her breathing was growing more difficult with every breath she pulled into her lungs.

Perhaps she could distract him. She was dying- if she could just keep him from finishing her off for a little while, she could die before he reached her and he wouldn't have to live with that guilt.

"I've missed you, you know." Her words didn't phase him. Whatever ground she had managed to cover before was gone now as he stalked her way.

"Everyone else was certain you were gone, but I knew better."

The beast stopped next to her, his mouth glowing and dripping as he growled overhead.

"A part of me gave up, and I'm sorry about that."

Hot breath covered her body as he sniffed her. He jerked back a little when she coughed, causing blood to spray out of her mouth onto his snout.

"You know, having you- around- even like this- has been more fun than- I've had in some time."

She opened her eyes, saw his mouth open wide as he lowered his head. She had no more tears as she watched her death approach. The only pain she felt was from not being able to die in time to save Natsu from the pain of killing her.

"It's always- been more fun- when we're- together," she whispered brokenly. When his gaze met hers, she closed her eyes.

She didn't need Natsu to see her pain as she died.

Everything seemed to fade, sounds, feeling, everything. Time slowed and as it did, she remembered Natsu. Her life didn't flash before her eyes so much as her favorite memories played out for her once more.

She saw so many, but they all had one thing in common- Natsu. It surprised her that she didn't even see her mother- but then again, she wasn't sure she even remembered what her mother looked like.

As she saw those moments flying passed, there was no sound. She knew the words being spoken, knew the shrieks and the laughter and the noise, but she couldn't hear them.

Until she did.

"I love you," Natsu said for the first time as he sat across from her on her couch, looking uncomfortable with rosy cheeks.

"I love you," Natsu said after they had completed a difficult mission, sitting on the side of a river as Lucy patched up a rather nasty cut.

"I love you," Natsu said as she passed him her plate to finish, his canines flashing as he grinned.

"I love you," Natsu said as everyone around them completed the countdown and welcomed in the new year.

"I love you," Natsu said, his voice echoing through the chapel as they stood in front of their friends getting married.

"I love you," Natsu said as their damp bodies moved against each other, the light from the moon illuminating his dark eyes.

"I love you," Natsu whispered as he hugged her to his chest, his bag behind him, half packed for his trip to find his rumored brother.

_I love you_, the note said, lying at the bottom of the chest he'd left his scarf in.

"_I love you_," Lucy whispered as the black swallowed her up.

* * *

_**My heart!**_

**I can already feel the hate-the-isn't-quite-hate burning through your bodies, but I promise you, it will get better. I didn't wanna say anything at the beginning and tip you off that this one was going to hurt. Just remember I love you all!**

**Initially, I was going to write a fight chapter before this one, but nothing I wrote felt good enough, so you got this part earlier than intended.**

**Moon'n'Tide:**** I totally understand! I feel the same way when the stories I follow leave me hanging. Like please just _tell me what's going to happen!_**

**stranger1999: All in due time, trust me.**

**BakaFangirl:**** He'll be back soon, don't worry! (Next chapter. He's coming back in the next chapter.)**

**Kelsicole2194: Glad to have you aboard- you're just in time for the good stuff!**

**BeautifulSamurai: You're going to make my head big, but in the meantime, you're doing it to my heart. I appreciate your words so much!**


	21. Chapter 21

**This part did not come easily. I had to rewrite a couple scenes and rearrange multiple times before it felt right. It still feels a little off, but I've decided to keep it. **

**I know you've been waiting for him... he's finally here. He promised he would be back- and he is!**

**Freed has returned!**

**As always, thanks for all the love, and happy reading!**

* * *

Freed was becoming impatient. He glanced at his watch for what felt like the hundredth time and had to try very hard not to hurry the healer once more. Porlyusica was working very hard, but if she didn't finish soon, he wouldn't have enough magic left to get them where they needed to be.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked.

Wendy had joined them only an hour earlier, after having received a call from Porlyusica to meet them at her place. She stood next to him as she watched the healer work. "I'll be fine. We just need to hurry," he answered. She nodded before looking at the clock as well.

Her eyebrows puckered together. "Do you think they're okay?"

"I don't know." Freed wiped at his brow as he recalled his words to Lucy as he'd left. _I'll be back before you need me_.

How was he supposed to have known what Porlyusica wanted with him? She'd asked to speak with him after Lucy called her and demanded that he get her house as fast as he could without using any of his magic, saying he would need it. He thought she'd meant with Dragneel's owners, so he hadn't questioned her as he raced out of Lucy's house to join the healer.

Once he'd arrived, she'd forced a book into his hands. She'd insisted that she needed to finish her cleanse spell, but she needed more time. "Why me?" he'd asked.

"You're the most proficient rune wizard in Magnolia," she'd stated. "Without your help, I will not be able to finish this in time. Now stop asking questions and read the pages I've marked. Hurry!"

Once he'd read through the important parts of the books, they'd performed the most complex magic spell he'd ever done. The ritual had created a pocket of space outside of time. Porlyusica had helped him start the ritual, but she'd only been able to provide about a third of the required magic to maintain it. It hadn't been easy to carry that much of the magical weight, but he'd used a few dark ecritures to stretch the limits of his magic. He was tiring now, though. They'd been at this for nearly twenty four hours inside this space, and he'd been awake nearly a full day before they'd started. He was tired and dangerously low on magic.

They were already late; the dragon's owner was supposed to arrive half an hour ago. What if Lucy needed him? What if the members that were out there weren't enough help? What if Laxus needed help?

Wendy placed a hand on his back to calm him as his breathing became erratic. "It's okay," she reassured him. "They'll be okay."

He didn't need words to reassure him, damn it, he needed to _see them_. He needed to get where he was supposed to be half an hour ago. "Porlyusica, we need to hurry," he grit out. The bubble they created was slower than real time, but time did still move.

The healer didn't respond, just pulled a book closer and grabbed a bottle. She held the bottle over the pot and shook a few flakes of blue into the boiling water. It popped and fizzled, and Porlyusica snapped the book shut and pulled the pot off the fire. "Prepare your transportation runes," she snapped, "we don't have all day."

Freed let out a breath as he dropped his arm, causing the bubble around them to shift and then disappear. He quickly wrote the runes along the floor at his feet as Wendy hurried over and helped Porlyusica dump the still steaming potion into a large glass vase. Once they were done, it was wrapped in a thick towel and they carried it to his side. As soon as they were both next to him, he finished the runes and they were instantly pulled into the black void.

Freed fell to his knees as they arrived at Lucy's property. He could barely feel any magic left in him, leaving him more exhausted than he'd ever felt before. Wendy's gasp at his side had him lifting his head though, and his eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.

"What have they done to him?" Porlyusica whispered.

Dragneel, or what he thought was supposed to be the dragon, was towering over the bloody body of Lucy. His scales were sleek and black and his yellow eyes now burned red. Freed's arm was outstretched before he'd completed the thought.

"What are you doing?" Wendy's voice was strained.

Just before the beast's teeth could close around Lucy, a barrier appeared around her. Freed's arm shook as he kept his sword raised despite the black crawling across his vision. "Will it still work?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Of course it will," Porlyusica snapped. "Wendy, keep him conscious until i'm done, and then get over to the girl."

"Yes ma'am." Wendy already had her hands over Freed's back, her magic working to try and keep him awake.

Porlyusica strode forward, the wrapped vase in one arm and her broom of all things in the other. The dragon hadn't noticed them yet. He continued to try and smash his way through the barrier as he roared in frustration. The woman came to a stop as the dragon finally turned her way. He growled, his jaws open wide, but she merely swatted his snout away with her broom. The dragon seemed surprised, but he tried to bite her again. Once more, his snout was swatted away. He reared back and let out a frightening roar right into Porlyusica's face. As he did, she stepped forward and dumped the contents of the vase into his mouth before retreating quickly.

Dragneel gagged as the potion slid into his throat, but he swallowed it quickly. Turning his whole body, he focused on the healer once more, but as soon as the fire began to build in his throat, it stopped. His jaws snapped shut on nothing and he took a step back, shaking his head. He began to whine and then cried out as he fell to the ground, spasms wracking his body.

Freed's shaky arm fell and he grunted. "Get to Lucy," he gasped. Wendy didn't need to be told twice. Using her magic, she flew through the air, landing next to the blonde only an instant later. He tried to keep his head up, tried to keep an eye on what was happening, but he was just too exhausted.

A bright light flashed nearby and then there was a small body pressing against his head. He smiled as he recognized the fur pressed against him; Laxus must have gotten out during the fighting. The small Raijū pressed himself close, a soft growl in his throat as he sought to protect his master. Freed almost chuckled, but he was too tired. With his faithful companion at his side, he allowed himself to close his eyes.

A short nap hopefully wouldn't hurt.

* * *

_Lucy moved to sit on the other end of her couch from Natsu. He was smiling, but it looked strange. This one was dull compared to the wide grins that he usually wore. "Are you okay?" she asked._

"_Yeah, of course, I just-" He cut himself off. "I'm not sure how to do this."_

"_Do what?" Lucy leaned forward and grabbed his hand. "Natsu, you're my best friend. You can tell me anything."_

_He nodded as he flipped his hand over and gently gripped her fingers. "I know. It's just… hard." He continued to fidget for a while before finally meeting her eyes. _

"_No matter what, I don't want to lose you… but I can't not tell you anymore." He closed his mouth. Opened it. Closed it again. A quiet growl escaped from between clenched teeth before he finally spoke again. "I think I'm in love with you, and it kinda scares me," he finished, his eyes darting away._

_Lucy's eyes widened. "I… you what?"_

_She'd never seen him so unsure of himself as he met her eyes again. "I love you." His face was nearly as red as the sweater she wore. Despite his embarrassment, his gaze stayed glued to hers._

"_You love me?" Lucy wasn't stupid. Obviously he loved her. They were best friends, but he was saying… that he was _in love _with her. "Like, you like me?"_

_Natsu's laughter surprised and exhilarated her. "Yes, you weirdo, I like you." He squeezed her hand harder. "But I also _like _like you."_

"_You don't have to laugh at me," she grumbled. She tried to take her hand back, but he refused to let it go._

"_So?"_

"_So what?" she asked, meeting his gaze again._

_He still looked unsure, but his smile was genuine again. "Do you like me?" He scowled a little as his voice cracked._

"_Of course I like you," she answered with a grin. "You're my best friend after all." When his scowl deepened, the tightness in her chest lessened considerably. "Yes Natsu. I do like you. As in _like _like you."_

_He instantly perked up. "Really?"_

"_Yes, really." She chuckled, ignoring the heat spreading across her cheeks. "Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you, too."_

"_That's awesome!" he shouted with a wide smile and bright eyes._

_Lucy couldn't help herself- she laughed. She laughed so hard, she fell off the couch, and when she saw his confused expression, she laughed even harder. It was just so ridiculous and weird and perfect._

_And she wouldn't have changed it for anything._

* * *

Lucy didn't know exactly what she'd expected after she died. A bright light? A doorway? A night sky full of stars? That last one hadn't felt out of the question. Leo had mentioned once that particularly incredible celestial wizards were turned into stars in the night sky when they died, and he had told her he thought she more than qualified.

What she hadn't expected was to still feel pain. It was easing, but she had thought the pain would disappear when she left her body behind. There was some pressure on her body, a heaviness, but it was easing as well as the black surrounding her slowly lightened.

Was she breathing? She felt those continued pricks in her chest- did she still need to breathe in the afterlife?

She could hear something… Someone was in pain. Was that her? She'd tried to keep quiet, but perhaps the pain had been too much. No, wait… it wasn't screaming, it was… roaring. Whining too, but the sound was too deep to be her.

_Dragneel_.

Lucy's eyes flipped open, but when she tried to move, hands on her shoulders and pain throughout her body made her freeze. "Hold still, Lucy," a voice whispered.

"Wendy?" When had she gotten there?

"It's me!" Lucy looked up to find tears shimmering in her eyes, but her smile was wide and welcoming. "I'm so glad to have you back!"

"Wendy…" Another roar had her looking around to find the source. She finally saw Dragneel, the sheen of his scales the only thing that made him stick out in the darkness that had fallen. He was rolling around on the ground, his talons scratching against his head as he continued to cry out. "What's happening?"

"I don't know," Wendy whispered. "He started doing that once Porlyusica gave him the cleansing potion she was working on."

Lucy almost tried to sit up again, but then she saw that Zeref was still there. He was standing with his hands on his hips as he watched the demon's pain. Looking around, she finally found Porlyusica kneeling next to a passed out Freed and a fierce looking Laxus standing in front of him.

When Wendy exhaled, Lucy looked back at her. "There. Do you feel better?"

Lucy hesitantly breathed in, smiling when she felt no pain as she completely filled her lungs. "I feel amazing, Wendy, thank you."

She grinned again as she got to her feet and reached out a hand for Lucy to take. "Come on, we should get out of the way before-"

An earth trembling roar filled the air and the ground shook as an incredibly strong wind suddenly blasted everyone standing away from Dragneel. Wendy screamed as she was thrown into the treeline; Zeref cried out as he was slammed into a nearby post. Porlyusica had managed to keep herself and Freed still, but Laxus was thrown into the air with a yip.

Lucy looked over in time to see a large red and black fireball form and then quickly grow around Dragneel's body. Just before it eclipsed his entire form, she saw his body go slack and the roaring and screams stopped.

"Dragneel?" The magic continued to grow and spin faster and faster, completely obscuring her vision. It caught the side of the shed and began to rip it apart, starting fires on the exposed planks.

"Dragneel!" The heat from the flames increased exponentially, instantly creating sweat all across Lucy's body. _What was happening?!_ The ball of fire began to lift into the air, the vortex around it throwing up dirt and debris as the flames began to spin even faster. It was at least a dozen feet in the air when it started rapidly decreasing in size.

No! No no no no no no no no! What was happening? Had Zeref cast something? What had happened to cause him to be in so much pain? Was the fire burning him?! Was he turning to ash before her eyes?!

_He thinks the dragon might be Natsu._

"_NATSU!_" Lucy screamed and tried to get to her feet, but the wind was too strong. She was nearly knocked over, but she just managed to keep herself from being pushed away. Her hand hurt from having to hold herself up against the onslaught, however, that pain fled from her mind when she suddenly felt something very familiar.

_She knew that magic_. The heat was so much more intense than she remembered, but surely he could survive it right? There'd never been a fire too hot for him to handle, right? _Right?!_ The fire suddenly condensed into a ball, no bigger than a person and for a moment, the air was completely still.

Then there was an explosion.

The force with which the heat shot out from that point sent bits of the shed flying as well as making a crater underneath. Lucy ducked as bits of wood and tin scraped her body, but she refused to get pushed away. A second boom filled the air before everything suddenly went silent.

Lucy waited for a few long seconds before lifting her head to look around. The area around her was almost completely empty. At least half of the shed had been blown away; the only thing that remained was a small ice dome that appeared to have barely protected Gray and Juvia underneath it. Zeref was near the remainder of the shed, covered in a swirling ball of black energy. Wendy was still missing, and now Porlyusica and Freed were also gone. She wondered how she'd managed to stay still and whole, until she looked directly in front of her…

"_So, uh, you're home!"_

_Lucy raised an eyebrow at him as she took off her shoes. "I sure am." She hung up her jacket and moved into her kitchen, heading for her kitchen since she knew he'd want a snack before he went home. "Thank you for taking me out to dinner again by the way. You really didn't have to- this is the third night in a row."_

"_I know, but I wanted to," he said. He rubbed at his chest, like he'd been doing most of the night. Lucy decided it was time to confront him about it._

"_Are you okay?"_

"_Yeah, yeah," he said too quickly. "Of course. Why do you ask?"_

_She moved to stand in front of him and grabbed his hand. "You've been scratching all night. Did you do something to your chest?"_

"_Oh, no, the shirt is just a little itchy. It's new," he said, picking at the buttons._

_Lucy chuckled. "You're supposed to wash shirts before you wear them you know."_

"_Really? I didn't know that…" He looked flustered, but Lucy didn't understand why._

"_You can take it off if you want. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."_

"_Uh, sure." He quickly undid his buttons and as he removed the shirt, Lucy realized how intimate that was now that they were dating. She'd seen his chest plenty of times before- not only did he lose it in battle all the time, but some of his favorite outfits were topped by an open vest. Her face heated as she turned away. As she finished pulling a few brownies out of the tin on her counter, he suddenly appeared at her back._

"_Luce?"_

"_What's up?" she asked as she turned to face him. Her cheeks had cooled some, but when she turned to find him so close, and shirtless, her face flooded with heat once more._

"_This was our third date."_

_Lucy cocked her head, confusion diffusing some of the heat in her body. "Yeah, it was."_

"_Is it- since it was our third date, can I kiss you now?"_

_Lucy blinked. Then she blinked again. "Did- is that why you were so insistent on going out these last few nights?" She smiled as he began to scowl. "Did you think you had to wait?"_

"_Well, I've heard that you're supposed to wait until the third date to kiss, and I really wanted to kiss you, which is why I tried to get you to do lunch with me yesterday, and-" He stopped talking as she began to laugh. "What- why are you laughing at me?!"_

_Lucy shook her head as she raised her hands up to his face. "I'm not, I promise." She ran her thumbs over his cheeks softly. "I just wasn't expecting that."_

_He squinted uncertainly. "So… can I?"_

_Lucy nodded as she smiled and lifted her lips- he met her halfway. There was no hesitation, and she didn't expect any. They trusted each other with their lives after all- this caring, these feelings, were just an extension of that, and a kiss was just another way to express it. Lucy sighed as his arms wound around her. His lips were warm against hers, and surprisingly soft. As he leaned into her, her fingers found their way into his hair. His groan was music to her ears, and when she dug her nails in just a little bit, that groan turned into a growl._

_Before she knew it, she was being lifted up onto the counter. "Mmph! Mmm…" Natsu kept one arm wrapped around her waist as he leaned into her. His grip was firm, but gentle, and even though he crowded her body, he was careful as he kissed her. He seemed to be holding himself back, but that wasn't what Lucy wanted. _More_, her body demanded. She tried to push against him, to get him to kiss her harder, more fully, but he kept himself maddeningly restrained. _

_Finally, she pulled away. "What are you doing?" she asked, chest heaving._

"_Kissing you, I thought," he answered, his breathing equally erratic._

"_Why are you being…" She gestured lamely, unable to come up with the right words. _

"_Being what?" he asked, obviously confused._

"_Like this," she said._

_That only seemed to confuse him further, but she couldn't blame him. How was she supposed to explain it? She wanted more. She wanted him to be more intense. More passionate. More like Natsu. _

_She wanted more fire._

_Unable to properly express herself with words, she threw herself at him, intent on showing him instead. He apparently hadn't been expecting it, so when she hit him, wrapping her arms and legs around his neck and waist, he tripped and fell to the floor. He didn't seem to mind, because a second later, one of his hands was fisted in her hair and the other was pressing her closer to him. When she yanked on his hair, his mouth left hers as he groaned. She laved his ear with her tongue before biting it and then returning her lips to his. _

_He finally seemed to get on board with her as he met her intensity with his own. Natsu kept one arm wrapped around her waist as he leaned into her. His lips were fire against hers, and he kissed her with as much intensity as he fought, throwing everything he had into the kiss. Eventually, Lucy had to pull away to try and catch her breath. Natsu merely continued his ministrations along her neck, his hands practically burning the exposed skin of her back as he nipped at her neck, his sharp teeth creating goosebumps up and down her body. _

"_Better?" he breathed against her neck. His heated breath caused goosebumps to break out along her entire body._

_Lucy nodded as she tried to catch her breath. Natsu had calmed down as well; his lips were soft on her skin once more and his fingers moved lightly along her exposed skin as his breathing leveled out well before hers._

"_I didn't know you were going to attack me like that," he said as he pulled away. He leaned back, his elbows propped under him to hold up his torso so he could watch her. His eyes were dark pools that Lucy wanted to jump into and never come out of._

"_I didn't attack you," she denied.._

"_I'm pretty certain we're on the floor because of you," he said, one eyebrow raised as his lips quirked up into a grin._

_Suddenly, Lucy realized just what she had done. The feeling of mortification was swiftly followed by an intense urge to hide. Her cheeks burned with enough heat to rival Natsu's fire as she quickly covered her face and groaned. "I am so sorry…"_

_His hands covered hers and tried to carefully pry them away from her face. When she finally allowed him to remove her hands, she was met with the softest smile and the most love filled expression she'd ever seen on his face._

"_It just makes me like you more," he said._

That same look was in his eyes. That same smile was on his face. That same feeling of love and desire and relief was oozing off of him in waves. Natsu slowly righted himself- her human shield once more protecting her from that which could otherwise destroy her. He finished shaking the debris and dirt off his back before getting up off one knee. His smile increased slightly as he smoothed the hair out of her face with a hand that was- that _was_\- his hand.

"Hey, Luce."

* * *

**Oh, yeah. Natsu's here too now :D**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey Readers! I hope everyone is doing well and keeping positive in all the crazy that's happening. **

**I just wanted to take a moment and let you guys know that I'm sorry this took so long to put together. To be blunt, I am not doing okay.**** There's a plethora of things coming together that are making me unhappy, and it's making it difficult to find the motivation to do anything, even writing, which I love to do. I'm not in danger of hurting myself or anything; I think I'm just depressed. I'm working on it, but I'm struggling more than usual. I don't want you guys to worry about me, I just want you guys to know why this is taking longer to finish than usual. So... not a cry for help or anything, just letting you know where I'm at.**

**On a lighter topic, this was supposed to be done by now… I greatly underestimated how long this last day/ fight was going to be. There will for sure be another chapter after this one, possibly two. We'll see. But it is almost done! Promise!**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Lucy could have sworn her brain shut down. There was no Zeref, there was no mess, there was no fighting. There was only Natsu, _her Natsu_, kneeling in front of her with that little smile on his face that she had missed so much.

"Natsu…" His name was barely a whisper leaving her lips, but he heard her- of course he heard her- and then his smile morphed into a grin. _His_ grin.

Another explosion rocked the air, throwing them both high into the air and making Lucy scream.

Just as she began to fall, she was yanked to a stop. She looked back and saw that her spirits had not gone back as she thought they had. "Gemini!"

"What can we do, Miss Lucy?" they asked.

A grunt pulled her attention away and she saw Natsu catch himself just before he rolled off the shed's roof. Zeref stood below him, a frown on his face. "How on earth did you do that?" he asked loudly.

Natsu's growl was audible even from this distance and Lucy gasped as she finally got a good look at him. He was Natsu, the real Natsu, there was no doubt, but he was different. He was shirtless, wearing a dirty pair of shorts that left most of his skin exposed, revealing a much thinner frame covered in large patches of black skin. His hands and feet were covered in red scales and his fingers ended in sharp black talons. When he stood, his fists began to burn as he stared at Zeref with more anger than she'd ever seen in the dragonslayer's eyes before.

"_You took me away from Lucy_," he hissed.

"You came to me," the other man pointed out.

Natsu moved so fast, Lucy was surprised Zeref was able to dodge. He landed with a crash, barely missing his target as the other wizard jumped out of the way. "You tricked me!"

Gemini began to fly Lucy backwards, forcing Lucy to kick back into gear. "No, don't take me away." She scanned the property and saw that none of the battles had ended. Even Levy, who didn't like fighting, was still going strong, trying to protect their facility. "Set down over there," she said, pointing to an area in the corner of the property.

A crash nearby drew Lucy's attention back to the shed. Another large hole had been created in the roof. Natsu was flying through the air, on his own power it appeared, while Zeref was flying behind him, creating another ball of black in his hands.

"Turn into me," Lucy said. Once Gemini morphed, Lucy scanned the sky. "Let's do the spell we learned with Jellal."

"But Miss Lucy-"

She cut Gemi off, "It's fine, I promise. He'll know what we're doing and get to us." _I hope_. And if he didn't join them in time… she'd just have to make up for it. It was only one person, surely she could handle the extra strain on her magic for that, right?

Gemini looked uncertain, but didn't argue again as they held out their hands, left palm down, right palm up. Once their hands were close together, both lowered their heads.

Zeref needed to be stopped. Leo had said he'd been a problem years before. He was creating demons and using them against the world. Worse than that, he was turning others into demons and controlling them. He'd created a demon out of Natsu and forced him to fight for him! That was unacceptable. She didn't know what else he'd done, but that much was enough for her.

Lucy was relieved to see the stars twinkling overhead. Using their light as courage, she checked once more to make sure Zeref was busy before she and Gemini started to collect their magic.

* * *

"_Why?_" Natsu hissed as he slammed a flaming fist against Zeref's black barrier. "Why did you target me?"

Zeref didn't answer as he made his shield pulse, sending out a wave of force that pushed Natsu back. Natsu landed heavily a dozen feet away before he charged again. "I don't know why you say it like that. I merely sent out word that the thing you wanted most was available if you still wanted it."

"What do you mean, what I wanted most?" The force of Natsu's attack caused Zeref's shield to sink further into the dirt with each swing. "What I wanted most was to return to Lucy and _you stopped me from doing that_." He slammed both fists down, creating a momentary distortion in the magic. Zeref frowned before wrapping Natsu in the ball instead. Natsu cried out as the magic began to inhibit his magic, causing his flames to slowly sputter.

The black haired man dusted himself off as he studied Natsu. "What you desired most was family, wasn't it?" He circled Natsu, his hands clasped behind his back. "You have no parents. Your adoptive father, a dragon of all things, disappeared when you were young and then appeared once more only to die before your very eyes! All you've ever had is that little shack in the woods," he said as he stopped in front of Natsu, whose flames were nearly out. "I only wanted to let you know that I was available if you wanted to meet; to let you know that you could still have a family."

"I have a family!" Natsu's fire returned in a flash, incinerating the black ball and sending Zeref flying backwards. "_Fairy Tail_ is my family! _Lucy_ is my family! I don't need anyone else!"

"Not even your own brother?" Zeref asked as he landed on his feet.

Natsu slammed into him, knocking him onto his back. "I have no brother!"

"Well, that's just not true." Zeref grunted as Natsu's hands closed around his throat. "I didn't lie… about us… being brothers."

Natsu threw Zeref, who crashed into a large tree. He barely seemed to feel it as he righted himself and dusted off his clothes. "That's some way you have to treat your brother," Natsu said as he stalked forward.

"Are you serious?" Zeref chuckled. "I was helping you become the most powerful being on the planet! I even had a new name for you- E.N.D." Zeref dodged Natsu's next attack by flying up into the air, supported by his magic. "Etherious Natsu Dragneel. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think? You were going to be so powerful, no one could stop you. We were going to take over the world!"

"Why?" Natsu asked. He felt something shift in his chest as his heart continued to beat even harder, but he ignored it. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Zeref asked, folding his hands behind his back once more. "Being in charge would come with a plethora of benefits, chief among them being that I'd never be hunted again. I wouldn't have to be bothered by these trivial matters of right and wrong- being in charge would mean that whatever I did _would be_ right. I could devote myself to my studies and stop worrying about being caught by the authorities or those pesky celestial spirits. Especially once I have those keys." He frowned as he looked down and finally seemed to realize Lucy had disappeared. As he looked around for her, he didn't see the attack coming that sent him plummeting once more to the ground.

As he righted himself once more, Natsu landed hard in front of him. The dragonslayer bared his teeth as he growled, "You will never lay so much as a _finger_ on Lucy." His fire continued to grow around him, the heat increasing as it sputtered and flashed, reacting to his volatile emotions.

"We'll see about that." Zeref held out his hands, palms towards Natsu. "I think I've indulged you long enough. My men should be finishing up soon, and we have to take care of that little blonde of yours so we can leave."

Lines of black bolted out of Zeref's palms, hitting Natsu before he could dodge. He gasped as the magic prickled along his skin, settling in his chest like a lead weight. "What did you do?" he asked as his fire began to warp around him.

Zeref smiled and let his hands fall to his sides. "Nothing." His eyes flashed as a small smile spread across his face. Natsu charged at him again, knocking him sideways into another post. The man did nothing to defend himself as he was knocked around the remainder of the barn like he was in a pinball machine.

When he flew through the roof, Natsu joined him just as Zeref's body landed across the peak with a thud. The black haired man coughed as he sat up, his clothes the only sign that he'd been tossed around. He dusted off a sleeve as he finally spoke again. "What do you think your dear wife did while I had you?" he inquired. Natsu stalked towards him, smoke billowing from his nose, fire licking up his arms and legs. "How long do you think she mourned you? How long before she accepted that you weren't coming back? Maybe even dead? Do you think she moved here to get away from your memory?"

His eyes flashed with sinister intent. "How long do you think it took her to move on? To find someone _else_." Natsu grabbed him by the throat and threw him through the roof again and then jumped down after him.

Zeref didn't bother to right himself, just remained sprawled out under the bits of wood and tin. "She's a beautiful woman." Natsu stomped to his side. "I'm sure there were plenty of suitors after you." Natsu yanked him up and then punched him, making him flip backwards into more debris. "I bet she found someone else. It has been six years after all." With a flaming fist, Zeref was thrown across the building once more. This time, he caught himself with his black shield before hitting the wall. He slid to the ground, landing lightly.

"How does that make you feel, little brother?" Zeref asked as he cocked his head and studied the dragonslayer with calculating eyes.

"_Don't call me that._" Natsu huffed, anger burning hotter through his veins than ever before. He couldn't seem to focus. He knew he was hitting his target, but try as he might, he couldn't focus on the fight. His thoughts shifted from this bastard, who lied to him, who drugged him and abused him, who kept him from his family, _from Lucy_, for so long to what Lucy did in in his absence, to why she was living on this farm, to the other magic presences he could sense, to where Lucy had gone-

"How many do you think there were?" Zeref continued, interrupting his thoughts. "Do you think there was only one? How many men do you think have spent time with your little wife?"

The weight in Natsu's chest increased.

"How many men did she date?"

_This heat._ Something was wrong. He was too angry- he needed to calm down.

"How many did she touch-"

_She would never-!_

"-did she _kiss_?"

Natsu growled as his flames heated up exponentially, instantly incinerating the nearby grass and setting the building and remaining nearby trees on fire.

Zeref's voice floated through the air, the words coiling around Natsu's heart… the whisper the loudest sound he'd ever heard. "_How many men have shared her bed?_"

He fell forward, his breath leaving him in huffs as his heartbeat accelerating to a near painful speed.

Zeref's smile widened with malice. "How many of them have touched her, _tasted her_, seen what she hides under those barely-there clo-"

The roar that left Natsu sent Zeref and the rest of the building flying. Fire surrounded him as he reared back, his body jerking as he clawed at his head.

The force of the explosion nearly knocked over Lucy and Gemini, who sat nearby readying themselves for their spell. Lucy covered her head with an arm, focusing so she did not lose the magic she had already gathered. Jellal had told her that the spell worked more efficiently if she concentrated as much of her magic into her hands as she could before starting. She'd given herself and Gemini a couple minutes to do just that while Zeref had been distracted, but now it was time to cast the spell. When she tried to look over her shoulder, Gemini reached forward and stopped her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

It was still strange seeing her own face sometimes, but she'd never experienced so much anxiety as she did in that moment. Gemini was staring passed her shoulder, their face set in a combination of worry and resolve, but it was the eyes that had her keeping her gaze on them.

They were terrified.

"Miss Lucy, we need to cast it now," they murmured.

Lucy nodded and then looked once more at the stars. It was strangely quiet. There were no sounds of fighting anymore, but what had happened? Were the others okay? Had they been beaten?

Would Jellal get there in time?

The spell they were going to use was similar to Fairy Law, but much more powerful. It could target one or multiple targets, but instead of merely defeating an enemy, it took away their magic, f_orever_. Because of that, it required too much magic for any single person to cast, even a wizard saint.

It needed the direction of a celestial wizard, as well as at least two other sources of similar magical energy. Gemini was a perfect choice, and Jellal's magic, combined with how strong he was, meant that they could perform the spell with just three of them.

But if he didn't join them in time…

"Miss Lucy," Gemini said more urgently, grabbed her hands, their own glowing with the same light. "We must start."

With a nod and a quick prayer to the stars, they returned their hands to their previous position and Lucy began to say the incantation with Gemini.

"_Oh Heavens above, hear these words,_

_For they are the will of the ones who utter them._

_The land needs help, and we answer that call._

_Preserve what sustains us,_

_So that we may be sustained._

_Take that which threatens us,_

_Eternally."_

When Lucy glanced up, she realized it wasn't enough. The spell manifested in the shape of a flower, a large grouping of purple heads that increased in brightness as the magic flowed into them. She'd never performed the spell before, but she knew the lights weren't bright enough; the spell wasn't being given enough magic.

"_We call upon the bodies, the spirits, the king!_

_Take, so you can preserve."_

Lucy took a deep breath as the light around them coalesced, the tug on her magic increasing as she tried to take on the added burden. _Jellal didn't get here in time_…

_Help me mom._

"_**Prendi-!**_"

Lucy was cut off as she was suddenly flung backwards, a burning sensation in her leg momentarily distracting her as she slammed into a tree. She collapsed against the ground with a groan.

"_Sweet_," came a voice. "That was awfully close. Where'd you learn such a fun spell?"

Lucy looked up, anger flashing in her eyes as she met those of the sand wizard, Ajeel. He was bruised and blood trickled down one arm, but he was still standing.

_Oh no_, Lucy thought, eyes widening. _He was the one fighting Jellal_.

"Hope I didn't throw you too hard," he said with a grin. Lucy tried to get to her feet, but the pain in her leg made that impossible. She glanced down and saw that her entire shin had been shredded. As Ajeel stepped closer, she realized it had been his sand.

_Gemini!_ Lucy jerked her head up and looked around. The man in front of her laughed as he crossed his arms. "Are you looking for those little spirits? They went back. Pop! Gone." He grinned and reached out a hand. Instantly she was surrounded by a swirl of sand that lifted her into the air. She tried to push her way past it, but even though she could see through it, it felt solid.

"Don't move too much. The more you fight it, the more you'll get cut up." His grin widened, revealing bloodied teeth. "We wouldn't want you killing yourself before we finish repaying you for your services."

Lucy reached out, but couldn't feel Gemini anywhere. Worse, Natsu's magical signature had disappeared again. That more than anything else caused Lucy to remain frozen as she was taken out of the woods and returned to the crater that used to be the large shed. Even Gray's ice shield was gone, as well as he and Juvia. Lucy's heart ached as her vision blurred, keeping her from taking in the sight before her- but she didn't want to.

Zeref had been standing there, his hand raised and pressed against the black snout of Natsu- no longer human, but in a full demon form. His eyes burned black and on his back she had seen wings- wings made of black magic just like Zeref's.

She was suddenly thrust through the air, stopping mere feet from the pair. Lucy blinked away the tears as fear threatened to consume her when she saw the rest of his men nearby. No, not all of them. Invel was missing. Still…

Her friends had been beaten.

"What do you all think?" Zeref said as he continued to pet the giant demon's nose. "I think my pet is looking a bit… peckish."

Several murmurs of agreement had Zeref cocking his head. "What do you think, hmm?" Zeref removed his hand and the demon- _her poor Natsu_\- turned her way. He sniffed at the air around her and then made a noise in his throat.

"I know, she is a little thin," Zeref agreed. "How about you just kill her for fun then?" The demon's eyes lit up, making Zeref laugh.

"No!" Lucy realized her body had gone numb, even her leg, so she couldn't struggle free. "No, Natsu, please don't!" The demon cocked his head, but that murderous gleam was still there.

"_Please_, Natsu, I know you're in there," Lucy tried again. "Please! You don't want to do this!"

"I do believe he does," Zeref argued.

"What did you do?" Lucy asked, her anger slowly diminishing, but refusing to disappear even as fear filled the void left behind. "He was better! What did you _do?_"

The black haired wizard chuckled. "Actually, I have to thank you for that. I believe your cleanse may have actually helped."

Lucy's eyes widened. _What?_

"You see, I've spent the last few years perfecting the formula to fuse the DNA of a demon with that of a magical being in an effort to create a more powerful and obedient pet. I must admit that the thought of clearing out his system of the previous experiments did not occur to me. I kept injecting him with my newest concoctions, which probably skewed my results.

"Your potion appears to have cleared out the old gunk that remained and left at least some of the new formulas. Fortunately for me, your cleanse wasn't strong enough to get it all out, which is why he didn't revert all the way. All I had to do was get him angry enough to reactivate the formula that remained." He winked at her. "Ego is the most efficient way to fully activate the bond, but anger is much easier to accomplish."

Zeref grinned as he cocked his head. "I thank you for your assistance in fixing my pet. Honestly, I was running out of ideas. Now," he said as he took a step back, "I think I'd like to give you one final gift before I leave, Ms. Heartfilia." The smile he gave her was bland at best, but his eyes... She'd never seen a gaze as evil and worrisome as the one he turned her way.

"_Death._"

* * *

**So like I said, there will be one more chapter for sure (I think I can wrap this up in the next one.) After that there will be an epilogue- because honestly, you guys want some Lucy/Human Natsu interaction. I can feel it.**

**My question to you guys is this: what would you guys like to see in the wrap up? Is there a specific interaction? A visit? Another character perhaps being treated at the facility if they fix it up and stay? Let me know! I'd love to get some ideas of things you'd like to see. I have my own things I'll be working on of course, but I'd love feedback. PM or review and let me know!**


	23. Chapter 23

**We're so close guys, we're finally at the last chapter! Thank you guys so much for following along with me, this has been a lot of fun to write. I know it was a bit more sporadic than my last one, but I am grateful for all the positive feedback despite that.**

**Look forward to the epilogue coming soon. I'm still planning it out so it might be a bit, but I promise there will be one.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Lucy gasped as Natsu turned her way, his mouth opening to reveal glistening teeth back lit by fire. "Natsu, please stop, you don't want to kill me!"

Zeref spoke as though she hadn't said anything. He tucked his hands into his pockets as he continued to walk away. "Take your time if you want, but not too much."

Lucy screamed at him, "Kill me yourself, you coward!"

Zeref chuckled. "Goodbye, Ms. Heartfilia."

Lucy tried to move, tried to lift her hand, tried to do _anything_ but her body wouldn't cooperate. She met burning black eyes with her own teary brown ones. "Please," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please don't, Natsu." The others standing around her began to hoot and cheer him on as he began to walk around her. They yelled at him to rip he apart, to cut her and make her bleed; to draw it out as long as possible until she died.

_How_, she wondered. _How could people so cold, so terrible, exist?_ She clenched her teeth. If she could get out of this, if she could just get herself free, she'd fight all of them on her own for what they'd done. For trying to draw this out- for trying to hurt Natsu. They were all just as bad as Zeref. They didn't deserve the power they had.

A flash of light momentarily blinded her, and suddenly, she couldn't see Natsu anymore. She blinked, trying to clear her vision, only to hear the demon run passed her, roaring. Zeref was sighing loudly when she finally cleared her eyes and saw that Natsu was chasing something. The flash of light came from multiple directions, never stopping long enough to get caught, but long enough for the demon to get angry enough to chase.

When she finally realized who it was, Lucy screamed, "Laxus, don't!" The Raijū must be trying to help her, but she had to stop him. If he wasn't careful, Natsu was going to kill him!

Laxus stopped right in front of Ajeel and yipped Lucy's way. It was the longest pause yet, but he was gone again as a large blast of fire hit where he'd been. He easily dodged, but Ajeel hadn't been paying attention, so his body was completely caught in the attack. When the fire ended, Natsu dashed after the light again, leaving Ajeel stuck. Lucy saw his shocked expression behind a thick, clear barrier of glass. Maybe he had seen the attack and tried to block it, but Natsu's fire had instantly cooked the sand, like a lightning strike on a beach, instantly into glass. Ajeel fell to the ground, completely immobilized. The magic holding Lucy began to weaken, then suddenly disappeared, causing her to fall to the ground. She managed to catch herself before landing on her bad leg and then tried to crawl away.

"What on earth are you doing?" Zeref yelled. "Get back here this instant!"

Natsu ignored him, choosing instead to chase after Laxus, who continued to be too fast for him. Lucy looked around as she tried to back up. Where had Laxus come from? Where were Porlyusica and Freed? Where was Wendy? Where were her other friends?

Zeref sighed. "It seems not enough of my formula remained in his system. No matter." He glanced around at the others. "Did you take care of the others?" When everyone nodded, Lucy felt her heart clench. "Good. A couple of you grab Ajeel so we can get going. I'll handle this," he said, raising a hand towards the ball of light.

Lucy tried to move forward, to stop him, but a hand grabbed her from behind. "He'll be okay."

"_Jellal,_" Lucy gasped, grabbing his arm tightly. "You're okay!"

"The others are, too," he whispered back. He pulled out a long strip of cloth that looked suspiciously like the shirt he was wearing earlier and began to wrap it around her bleeding leg. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" she whispered back.

"To cast Prendi Magia."

Tears filled her eyes. "We can't. Gemini got hurt, and we can't cast it just the two of us."

"I think that's my cue."

Lucy was suddenly grabbed under both arms and pulled towards the woods. There was a shout, and suddenly all of her friends were back, attacking Zeref's minions as he flew up into the sky. Natsu, distracted from chasing Laxus, looked around and then flew up into the air to hover at Zeref's side when he was beckoned. The others were fighting hard, with no hesitation, no sign of exhaustion. _But how?_ Before she could voice the question, she saw Wendy weakly leaning against the railing next to her house. _She must have found them all and healed them while the others were distracted._

Lucy nearly shrieked when she remembered the other hands on her but a hand over her mouth stifled the noise. "It's me, Lucy," came Leo's voice.

The blonde closed her eyes as a sob escaped her throat. She pulled away and then threw herself into her spirit's arms. "I almost had him back," she cried into his shoulder.

"I know, Lucy, I know." He squeezed her as Jellal kept an eye on the fighting while he finished tying up her leg. She fought to keep her tears under control and after a few seconds, she pulled back and punched Leo in the chest.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"_Lying,_" she hissed. "We are _definitely_ talking about that when this is over. And if you don't help me get Natsu back, I will _never_ speak to you again," she said with conviction.

"We'll get him back, I promise." He grabbed her hands as his own began to glow. "Gemini can't come back right now, but my magic is compatible. I can help cast Prendi Magia, and since I came on my own, it won't drain any of your magic."

"Then let's do it," Jellal said, turning to face them. "We'll have to jump right into it, Lucy, or they'll see what we're doing. Are you ready?"

"Who do you think you're talking to?" she asked with a little smile. Hope, real, genuine hope, filled her for the first time in a long time.

_They could do this_.

"We'll need to aim at all of them," Jellal said as he helped her situate her leg to avoid hurting it even more.

Lucy wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. "Okay." Leo slipped his hand into hers and squeezed it, lending her his strength when he sensed her displeasure. She took a deep breath and then nodded. "Let's do it."

The trio finished settling in, knees nearly touching as they put their palms together. Nearby, they could hear the others fighting. Erza's battle cry far surpassed the others, and Lucy was surprised to find that she could hear Sting and Rogue in the fray as well. She forced herself not to look up, not to look at Natsu as he floated next to Zeref. With another prayer to the stars to help her with what they were about to do, she met Jellal's and Leo's eyes and they began. A golden ring appeared around them as they began the chant.

"_Oh heavens above, hear these words,_

_For they are the will of the ones who utter them."_

Zeref looked for the sudden source of light as Natsu growled at his side. He saw Lucy sitting with two others, casting the spell from earlier again.

"_The land needs help, and we answer that call."_

"Fools." He glanced over. "Could you take care of that for me, my pet?"

The demon grinned before letting out a roar and dipping his head to fly in their direction.

"_Preserve what sustains us,_

_So that we may be sustained."_

"I don't think so, ya idiot!" Gajeel's iron lance flew through the air, knocking Natsu into the treeline. The demon flew back into the air, finding the dragonslayer covered in his iron scales, the red of his eyes the color of dried blood in the dark.

"_Take that which threatens us."_

A large flower head appeared above the trio. It was made of many little bulbs, all shimmering in a different purple hue.

The iron dragonslayer hollered, "I ain't letting you go after her, ya moron! She's trying to help!" Gajeel barely dodged as a ball of black landed at his feet and created another crater in the ground.

"_Eternally._"

"Finish her," Zeref yelled again.

Natsu growled, aiming himself once more, only to be thrown back by a large wind. The demon screamed at the night sky as he tried to right himself among the trees. Wendy stood halfway across the yard, barely upright as she glared at the demon. "Leave her alone, Natsu!"

"_We call upon the bodies, the souls, the king!"_

Zeref huffed. "Enough of this!" He held out his arms as multiple orbs of black formed around him. "If I must take care of you all on my own, then so be it!"

"_Take, so that you may preserve."_

A bright light appeared in a coil around the trio, increasing in speed as it moved upwards towards the flower top. As the golden light disappeared, the lights of the flower flashed as they finished the spell. Jellal, Lucy and Leo released each other and raised their hands to the sky.

"_**Prendi Magia!**_"

The flower exploded, causing the purple bulbs to shoot down towards the ground. Lucy turned in time to see them land, each of Zeref's minions being hit by multiple glowing orbs that surrounded them in spinning light. They spun around each person, their pale purple turning into dark red before floating into the air and disappearing.

Zeref's cry was quiet, but audible. Lucy feared it wouldn't work when she saw him surrounding himself with a dense, black orb, but the magic continued to spin and press in until his barrier popped and it was able to sink into his body. He hissed something just before the spell ended, creating showers of red light that fell around their targets.

"It's nearly done," Jellal said. "I can feel their magical auras fading away." Lucy pushed herself up onto her knees as she sought out Zeref.

He had landed on the ground, his face a mask of anger as he glared her way. The red particles were particularly dense around him as his magic energy dispersed into the air. "You'll regret that, Ms. Heartfilia."

"You wish," she said. Straightening her spine, she looked around. "Where did Natsu go?"

"Lucy!" Leo yanked her to the side, grunting just before she felt him disappear.

"Leo!" Lucy rolled over, the pain in her shin making movement difficult, but she froze as she came nose to nose with Natsu. Those solid black eyes were staring straight at her as he opened his mouth and roared.

Jellal made a move towards her, but Lucy lifted a hand to stop him. "Don't," she said. Natsu snapped his teeth in Lucy's face, but instead of jumping, she lifted her nose and glared at him. "What on earth are you doing?"

Those black eyes blinked twice as he pulled back slightly. His mouth fell into a frown as he studied her. _He's in there. I just have to reach him. _Painfully, she got to her feet, hobbling when her leg wouldn't take her weight. As soon as she saw her spell finish, she shoved a finger into the demon's nose.

"Are you really going to take orders from a _human_ like him? You are a _demon_, and a _dragon;_ do you not have any standards?!" Natsu pulled back farther as he studied her and then looked over his shoulder towards Zeref.

The wizard sneered. "Don't look at me like that, you beast. Finish her!"

_Ego is the most efficient way to fully activate the bond, but anger is much easier to accomplish_. Perhaps she could use that other way. Perhaps with her magic being the opposite of Zeref's, being light and bright, she could use it to draw out the part of him that was kind and good- that was _Natsu_.

"What power does he hold over you?" Lucy asked. "Why would you possibly need to do his bidding? Why are you letting him dictate your choices? Letting him _control_ you?"

Zeref got to his feet. "You are playing a deadly game, Ms. Hearfilia. I suggest you stop this instant. You don't know what you're doing."

"He might be right, Lucy." Jellal's whisper barely reached her. "He's a demon; you can't control him."

"I don't think he needs to be controlled," Lucy said loudly. "Do you?" she asked, cocking her head to the side as he looked at her once more. "Do you need someone to control you? Or do you think you can make up your own mind?"

_There_. It was faint, but she could just make out the gold returning to his eyes. If she could just talk him down, help him reel in the temper, use his brain, she could pull him back. All she had to do was get him thinking.

"Do you remember your time with Zeref? Do you remember your time as a slave in his hands? Doing his bidding, being kept from others? Did you miss it so much you're willing to jump right back into things and kill me for him?"

_Angry._

_Alone. Sad. _

_Dark. _

_Always dark._

"What about here?" She took a step as she gestured around. "Didn't we treat you well here? We fed you, we let you go outside, you were able to interact with others and play with the drakes." The demon scanned around him before zeroing in on the area of the woods where Lucy's old shed was with a growl.

When he turned that glare her way, it took everything in her not to flinch. "Yes, that was a bad day," she admitted, "but I was just trying to get you to behave." She felt Jellal move behind her at the same time that Natsu's eyes zeroed in on him. "We were kind to you here, weren't we?" she asked as she held her hand up behind her, signalling to Jellal to stop.

_Kind. Nice._

_Lucy._

_Familiar. _

_Like it here._

Lucy continued, "We treated you with respect. We didn't hide you away and abuse you, or try to use you for our own selfish reasons. We _cared_ about you."

He turned fully towards Lucy as she took a step forward, her hand held out. "_I_ care about you." Her fear melted away as those black eyes slowly melted into gold.

She could do this. _She could do this_.

"Please, don't let him control you anymore. You are so much smarter than that." She leaned against his nose, running her hands softly against his scales. "Please. He's not in charge anymore. _You_ are. Let's go-"

Several shouts of her name had her straightening in time to see Zeref charging her way. She tried to back up, but her leg buckled as she mindlessly put her weight on it. A gasp left her as she landed on her butt. She felt hands on her try to pull her back up, but they weren't needed.

Natsu, his eyes fully yellow and his scales swiftly changing back to red, caught Zeref before he could reach her, snapping his jaws shut on the man's torso.

"Zeref!"

"Boss!"

Lucy felt nauseous as she watched Zeref's legs fall to the ground, blood splattering Natsu and soaking into the dirt around them. With a growl and a few crunches, the red scaled dragon tilted his head back and swallowed his prey. He clicked his tongue as he lowered his head again, turning as he did to glare at the others. Jellal's hands tightened their grip on her arms, snapping her out of her. "N- Dragneel!" Jellal got her to her feet without a word, and helped her hobble forward to stop the dragon from attacking.

The beast nearly snapped as Lucy's hand landed on his side, but stopped when he saw her. Lucy raised a hand, begging him with her eyes as she waited silently for him to come back, to remember who she was. She could see the confusion slowly leave his gaze as he studied her, his expression warming as that big nose was finally pressed against her.

"Are you back?" she whispered. "Are you in there?"

The dragon hummed happily as he pressed more firmly against her. Tears filled her eyes as she looked around. The others had safely secured Zeref's men, and all looked like they could use a break, but first…

"Where's Wendy?"

"Right here," came a quiet response. Gajeel, not looking happy, was keeping Wendy on her feet as she slowly walked forward.

Lucy's stomach twisted. "Wendy, can you-"

"Yeah, I can." She frowned as she stumbled. "I'm sorry, Lucy. If I had known-"

Lucy cut her off. "No one knew, don't blame yourself."

"But this kind of thing-"

"Doesn't happen often," Lucy said firmly. "Neither of us had any reason to suspect that Natsu was in there, therefore, you had no reason to check him out."

"But he's a _dragon_," Wendy insisted.

"And you are a dragon _slayer_," Lucy pointed out. "Your magic is supposed to help defeat them, not heal them. So stop apologizing," she said as she reached out and clutched the other woman's hand, "and just do what you can to help him now."

"You sure you can handle this?" Gajeel interrupted. "You already used up a lotta magic to heal the rest of us."

"I can do it," Wendy assured him, "I just need help reaching him."

Lucy rubbed between Dragneel's- no, _Natsu's-_ eyes. "Wendy can take a look at you, right?" When he merely pressed himself more firmly against her, she gave Wendy a nod.

The blue haired woman moved forward and held her hands over his neck. They began to glow and she frowned as she moved down his body. "I can't… where is…"

"Right between the eyes, Wendy."

The woman turned her head and her eyes lit up. "Porlyusica!"

The healer carefully made her way towards Wendy as Freed tried to walk at her side. Jellal released Lucy and swiftly moved to relieve the healer. As he helped Freed towards the house, Porlyusica pulled Wendy closer to the drake's head. By this time, Lucy had been gently pushed to the ground so the dragon could put his entire head on her lap. She looked up as the healer joined them.

"Are you okay, Porlyusica?"

"Of course I am," the healer snapped. "Wendy, right here." She grabbed Wendy's hands and placed them both between the dragon's eyes. He didn't even twitch as they arrived, choosing instead to press against Lucy as he purred and whined. "Just like I told you. Find it, contain it, erase it."

"I can do it." Wendy's face was set with determination as her hands began to glow once more. As she worked, the magic surrounding her hands slowly became black. The color swirled around her wrists, in and out between her fingers, and just before all the green disappeared, it stopped and began to change back.

The dragon's whine increased slightly as the green eclipsed the black, slowly shrinking the magic until it disappeared with a hiss. The dragon's entire body began to glow, and with a sudden push of air, the glow, and the dragon, disappeared.

Lucy opened her eyes to find a thin, dirty Natsu curled up against her. Her hands ended up in his hair, gently rubbing against his scalp as tears once more filled her eyes and instantly spilled over.

"We'll give you some space," Wendy whispered as she slowly moved away. Porlyusica had already left, so Gajeel grabbed Wendy's arm to help her walk towards the house where the others had all already convened, with Zeref's henchmen lined up against the porch.

For a while, all Lucy did was slowly scratch at Natsu's scalp as she gently ran her free hand over Natsu's face, his shoulder, his hand- anything she could reach.

The nightlife seemed to have returned, as crickets and owls called out in the woods once more. They didn't stop again, even when Natsu shot up, his eyes wide as he jerked his head from side to side. His panicked eyes didn't calm until they landed on her.

Lucy counted ten full heartbeats before he finally unfroze, his face relaxing and his hands reaching for her. She didn't have to be asked twice; as soon as he began to reach for her, she threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, sobs forcing their way out of her throat as he murmured quietly to her.

_It was finally over._

As she cried, she realized it was the first time she'd let go since he left. The entire time Natsu had been gone, she'd refused to accept that he wasn't coming back. She'd hid her worry and fear behind her certainty that he would return. She'd ignored the whispers, the stares, the rumors, everything, in an effort to keep herself together. She'd kept her head high; she'd refused to let anyone else bring her down or create doubt in her mind. She'd even ignored her own heart when it had begun to give up.

She hadn't cried, really _truly_ cried, since she lost Plue and the others. Now though, now she was in Natsu's arms and he was safe and he was _back_ and there was nothing that could stop her from finally allowing all of that uncertainty, worry and grief to cleanse itself from her soul.

Lucy cried so hard her head hurt, her eyes were swollen, and she could no longer breathe through her nose. The whole time, Natsu held her, his arms thin but still strong. He kept her pressed hard against his chest while he held one of her hands against his face, his own tears sliding between her fingers to soak into her sleeve. The words he uttered were nonsense, but she didn't care. Just hearing his voice soothed her in a way she hadn't been soothed in years.

It felt like hours later when she finally pulled back to wipe her face clean. Natsu refused to let go of the hand on his face, so she only had one, but that was okay. When she finally met his eyes, she saw that he hadn't fared much better. His eyes were red and tears continued to leak down his cheeks as he met her gaze. He lifted his free hand to rest it against her cheek and Lucy lifted her other hand to cover his, mirroring his opposite hand.

"I missed you, Luce," he whispered, tears continuing to spill over as he smiled at her. "I don't remember much of what happened recently, but I was aware enough the first few years I remembered you. Stars above," he said, a phrase he'd picked up from her. "I tried so hard to get back to you Luce. _I swear_."

"I know." Her laugh was more of a gasp as she sat forward. He met her halfway, pressing his forehead against hers. For a long time, neither said anything as they caught their breath, both moving their fingers every so often to wipe away stray tears.

Finally unable to contain herself, Lucy lifted her mouth to his. With her lips molded against his, she let him feel everything. How much she had missed him, how hard it had been to live without him, how worried she had been that she'd never see him again... How painful it had been to lose him.

She pushed him onto his back, drawing a startled gasp from him, so she could straddle his hips, her hands once more threaded into his hair as she ravaged his mouth. Lucy re-familiarized herself with his skin as he dug his fingers into her hips, pulling her closer. It wasn't until his hands tried to remove her shirt that she finally remembered where they were.

With more effort than she anticipated, she pulled away, gasping as she filled her lungs with the cool night air. "Natsu-"

He surged up, his mouth capturing hers once more. When his hands found the clasp of her bra under her shirt, she drew back once more, laughing as she stilled his arms with her own. "Natsu."

He hummed as he ran his nose along her throat. "What is it, _master?_" he breathed against her skin.

It took all of Lucy's self control not to succumb to his words. "We're outside."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"You're dirty."

"Still not the first time." He carefully dragged a fang along her collarbone, drawing a groan from her.

"Natsu-"

Gajeel's voice suddenly broke through the peaceful night air. "Hey, I know it's been a while, but get a room!"

Natsu's eyes snapped open and he glared in the direction of the house. "I forgot they were there."

Lucy chuckled. "And I'm hoping you wouldn't like to share."

"Damn right," he confirmed, squeezing her close before removing his hands.

With another laugh, she began to get to get to her feet, but the pain in her leg caused her to stumble. In an instant, Natsu was standing and holding her close. "I gotcha." He held her close as he buried his nose into her hair and then sighed. "I'm not going anywhere again."

"Promise?" Lucy asked, that single word filled with every last bit of the worry and pain she'd suffered over the last six years.

He tightened his arms around her, pulling her so close, she was touching him from head to toe. Then he pulled back and kissed her gently on the mouth before leaning his forehead against her, his eyes open wide so she could see how sincere he was.

"I promise," he said firmly.


	24. Chapter 24

**Here's the final chapter! Thank you so much for following along with me on this one. It was a lot of fun to write. **

**I want to take a moment to let you all know that you are wonderful people and I hope you are all doing alright. With the Covid nonsense and now the riots in the cities, things have been rough the last couple months, but it will get better; it always does. As for me, we live on the edge of the Twin Cities, and even being this close is scary. I worry for what happens if change isn't implemented fast enough and the rioters run out of businesses to attack. There has been talk of them attacking homes, and threats already made against homes for having signs in their yard supporting their cause. I hope everything is resolved soon, and I hope all of you stay safe in the meantime.**

**As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

"Ow!"

Lucy sighed as she looked up from her desk. "Wrong window, Natsu!" She shot to her feet as she heard him curse. "Just walk through the hallway this time!" By the time she'd crossed the hall he'd already disappeared and closed the window. She sighed and returned to her room just as he opened the window. "Just how many times did you mistake someone else's window as mine in my old apartment? How many of my neighbors did you disturb?"

"None," Natsu said as he stretched across the bed. "Your apartment smelled like you, there was no way I could miss it. This whole house smells like you, though, so it's harder." He sighed as he closed his eyes, oblivious to Lucy's eyes drinking him in.

It had been almost three months, and things had only just fallen into a routine. It had been hard, with her facility destroyed and Natsu being in such bad shape, but with all their friends' help, it had worked out well. Levy and Gajeel had visited every day to help with the patients, and the entire guild had joined them a month after the incident to help rebuild the new shed.

Lucy's fingers tightened around the pen in her hand as she studied Natsu. He was still too skinny, but he was working on it. It had taken nearly a month for his appetite to return and almost two for him to have energy to begin working out again. Of course, his form of working out was fighting, and in an effort to keep him safe, she'd asked Capricorn to help him. Erza had tried to help once she found out, but Lucy had put a stop to it before it could start. She knew Erza would never intentionally hurt Natsu, but they could easily get carried away if they weren't careful, and she wasn't willing to risk that happening.

When Natsu began to snore, Lucy smiled and returned to her paperwork. Her coffee had gone cold long ago, but she grabbed it and drained it anyway. It was only morning, but it had already been a long day. Sting and Rogue were set to go home the following day, and she had a truck showing up that afternoon to drop off a few new patients for them. A couple of them had very strict diets, so she'd spent much of the morning on the phone making sure the food she needed would be dropped off in time. She still had to finish the bills before lunch and the enclosures needed to be prepped as well, which would take all afternoon, if she was lucky. She glanced at the clock and then back at Natsu's sleeping form. She wished she could sleep as easily as he did, but it had been difficult since he returned because of the nightmares.

She despised the nightmares.

At least once a night she woke up shaking and sweaty from them, sometimes even screaming. They always woke up Natsu, and she hated it.

They were always the same, her running, searching, desperate to find something; to find _him_. Sometimes she woke up before she found him. Sometimes she found him locked up. Sometimes she fought Zeref. Occasionally she found him dead; and that wasn't even the worst one…

Lucy set down her pen and picked up her phone. After she finished setting her alarm, she laid down next to Natsu, curling up against him as she settled down to take a nap. As long as she woke up with her alarm, she could avoid the dreams and get her work done before lunch. With a sigh, she allowed Natsu's heat to lull her to sleep, her arm wrapped firmly around his waist.

Just a little nap and she'd feel better…

* * *

_Lucy's breath heaved from her lungs as she ran. She had to find somewhere to hide, but where?_

_No, that wouldn't work. He'd find her. Unless she could cover her smell, there was no way she could get away. There was nowhere at all that she could hide._

_She stumbled over something, sprawling out on the ground. She tried to get back up to her feet as quickly as she could, but was met by a faceful of hot breath. Looking up, she found him inches from her face, his teeth glistening, maw dripping blood. "No," she whispered. "Natsu, please don't." She had to stop him- had to protect him from the guilt._

_His mouth opened, a low flame building up, smoke spewing around her and filling her nose. She tried to crawl away, but he slammed his foot onto the ground in front of her, his talon digging deep into her hand to hold her still. She barely muffled her scream as he opened his mouth wider, revealing every sharp, terrifying tooth. Tears streamed from her eyes as the fire licked passed his teeth and he leaned forward to-_

"_Lucy!"_

Jerking awake, Lucy swung her fist. She hit something hard, causing whoever said her name to curse. She jerked away, causing herself to land on the floor. "Lu-she!" She looked up, eyes wide to find Natsu leaning over the bed, fingers pinching his nose. "Y'okay?"

Ignoring the blood on his hand, she launched herself off the floor, knocking him backward. He grunted as she landed on top of him, but caught them both before they could roll off the other side of the bed. Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself as close to him as she could.

It had just been a dream. That version of Natsu wasn't real anymore. It was gone and it was never coming back. His arm tightened around her as he shushed her. She focused on his voice and her breathing, gradually calming down.

She'd barely pulled herself together when she shot up. "Shoot, what time is it?" Lucy rolled over to check the time, jerking up as she did. "I'm late, I have to get the bills-"

"Just relax, Luce," Natsu said as he pulled her back and hugged her to his chest. "You need to catch your breath. Calm down. The world isn't going to end just because you don't get the checks signed."

"Natsu, if I don't get them taken care of-"

"You always pay them early, so I know they're not due for another two weeks, will you just relax?" He turned her so she was sitting sideways in his lap so he could cup her cheek and press his forehead to hers. "Is this how you were when I was away, too? Fidgety and restless? I'm right here, you know, you don't have to worry anymore."

"I know, I just-" Lucy snapped her mouth shut, cutting off her thoughts. Instead, she focused on the heat of Natsu's body against hers, the soft pads of his fingers that had yet to regrow their calluses, the way his free hand was slowly pushing up her shirt-

With a gasp, Lucy grabbed his hand as she glanced at the open door. "Natsu, someone could see us!"

"Who? No one else is here."

"Levy and Gajeel-"

"Took the afternoon off."

"What! Well, what about Mira-"

"Finished lunches early and went back to the guild," Natsu whispered as he peppered kisses along her cheek. When he reached her ear, he purred softly as he nibbled on her earlobe.

"Natsu…"

"Come on, Luce." He gently tugged on her hair, tilting her head to give him easier access to her neck. "Stay with me for a little bit."

"Aren't you… tired?" she asked breathlessly.

"I think that nap gave me just enough energy for this," he whispered.

"Natsu-"

He cut her off with a kiss. His mouth was gentle, a direct contrast to his hands, which firmly lifted her off his lap and laid her back on the mattress. Lucy tried once more to fight back, but Natsu refused to let her get away.

A growl was the only warning Lucy got before he pressed her into the bed, his mouth moving against hers with enough force to cause their teeth to meet. Natsu's mouth ravaged hers as thoroughly as his hands did her body. His touch was overwhelming, almost frightening, but despite being separated for so many years, she wasn't scared. She'd never worried about his touch; no matter how intense he was, he would never hurt her.

With a sigh, she finally gave in. She flipped him over and then yanked her shirt over her head. Natsu quickly removed his own, but before he could toss it aside, Lucy grabbed it and balled it up with her own. With deadly precision, she threw it at the door, knocking it closed before kissing Natsu once more.

An hour later, a commotion outside had Lucy getting up from the bed. Since Natsu was still asleep, she softly kissed his forehead before tugging on her clothes and heading downstairs.

"Sting! Rogue! Calm down!"

Lucy frowned as she went out her kitchen door and found Gajeel and Yukino trying to keep the drakes off Levy, who was holding a box in her arms. The woman merely smiled as the drakes tried to reach her, not seeming at all phased by their behavior.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked.

Levy grinned as she walked up the steps and held out the box in her arms. "We have company."

The blonde frowned and then gasped as she looked into the box. Three tiny balls of different colored fur were curled around each other inside. They looked like kittens, except for the tiny white wings that were curled up tight against their backs. "Levy, they are _so cute!_ Where did you find them?"

"It's a bit of a story, but the short version is that a pet store owner found some eggs and hatched them, not knowing what they were. Once they came out, he realized they were magical creatures so he brought them to the guild since he only sells regular pets. Wendy took care of them until I stopped by, but by then, one of them had grown attached her so I only picked up four of the five."

"But there's only three of them here."

Levy grinned at Gajeel over her shoulder. The dragonslayer was still working on keeping Rogue at bay, but Lucy could easily see how red his face had gotten. "That's because _someone_ also grew attached to one of them." Levy nodded at Lucy's disbelieving stare. "I'm not kidding! All of them were friendly enough, but once the black one saw Gajeel, he became instantly attached. He even insisted on coming with today." Levy turned and pointed to the end of the porch, where a small black kitten was curled up on a chair, quietly watching them.

"Wait, so they can talk?" Lucy asked.

"A little bit. His vocabulary is very small, but I think he's like a kid. As he grows and spends time around us, I think they'll be able to interact as well as any person can. Only Pantherlily has spoken so far, but I think the others will as well.

"I'm still trying to figure out the connection with Wendy and Gajeel, though. Like I said, they were friendly with everyone, but once the other two interacted with Wendy and Gajeel, they were instantly attached."

Lucy frowned at the drakes and then looked back at the box. "Do you think… that they're somehow linked with dragons, then? Since Rogue and Sting also seem interested, that might be the key."

Levy gasped quietly. "I didn't think of that. Maybe…"

Rogue pulled away to glare at Gajeel. He opened his mouth and growled before roaring in his face. The dragonslayer crossed his arms, not at all phased. "Talk back all you want, you're staying away from 'em."

Inside the box, the little green cat lifted its head. It stood up and stretched before propping its feet up on the edge of the box and looking out. It seemed unsteady on its feet, but it mewed a little as it looked around. Rogue began to shift on his feet as he tried to find a way past Gajeel. He called out again, and to both Levy and Lucy's shock, the little green cat began to flap its wings. After a few test flaps, it hopped out of the box, surprising both the women so much, neither stopped the little thing before it jumped. It unsteadily floated to the floor before making its way to the steps.

"Wait, hold on," Levy said, handing the box over to Lucy.

Gajeel glanced backwards, giving Rogue the opportunity to dash around him. "Hey!" Rogue crouched at the bottom of the steps, his nose pressed against the top stair as the little cat came forward to sniff at him. He bumped the little cat gently in return. With a rather loud purr, the creature walked forward and then climbed on Rogue's nose. Sting whined as Rogue stood up, the little green cat balanced easily on his head.

"You might be right, Lucy," Levy said with a grin as she grabbed the box again. She walked down the stairs, skirting Rogue as the green cat batted harmlessly as his eyes. Sting perked up instantly when she stopped next to Yukino. Before she'd made it to him, his whining roused the red cat from its slumber. It perked up instantly as Sting's nose bumped the box. It mewed quietly as it propped itself up on its hind legs and nuzzled the drake's nose. "You like him, don't you little guy." Levy picked him up and carefully set him on the grass next to Sting, who then curled up around him in a circle. Yukino sighed as she watched the drakes playing with their new friends.

"They're going to cause trouble, aren't they?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Levy said as she adjusted the box. The blue cat was still sleeping peacefully, curled up in the corner. "I've been trying to figure out what they are, and I think I managed to stumble onto something last night, but I'm not sure yet."

"She needed her sleep," Gajeel said gruffly, "so I made her go to bed."

Lucy's jaw dropped. "You _what?_ How?"

Levy glared at her. "Quiet you. I know when I need sleep."

"The Geilmar house," Lucy said flatly.

The other woman flushed slightly. "Well, that was an important job-"

"You were awake for _five days_."

"That long?!" Gajeel asked.

"I needed to be!" Levy snapped.

"No, you didn't," Lucy said. "We could have kept everything under control long enough for you to sleep, you just refused to do it!"

"Well maybe if _someone _hadn't broken her glasses the day before-"

"That wasn't my fault!" Lucy said.

Suddenly, the little blue cat jumped up with a tiny meow. It looked up over the side of the box and then flapped its wings hard enough to take flight. Once it was airborne, it flew towards the porch, landing lightly on Lucy's head, its attention focused on the kitchen door. Lucy reached up to pet it lightly as she helped it stay on her head. "What's he doing?" she whispered. Levy shrugged.

Behind her, Lucy heard Natsu calling her name. "I'm on the porch, Natsu," she called. A moment later, he exited the door wearing only his shorts, his hair a bigger mess than usual.

"What are you doing out here? I thought we were-" He cut off as he saw the group in the yard. He glared Gajeel's way. "I thought you guys were going to take the day off?" he asked aggressively.

"It wasn't my call," Gajeel answered as he crossed his arms.

The cat on Lucy's head began to move, meowing as he did to get Natsu's attention. The dragonslayer looked up and then chuckled. "Luce, you got something on your head."

"Yeah, I think he was waiting for you." Natsu carefully removed the cat from on top of her head as he continued to chuckle. It immediately began to purr and twisted onto his back. Natsu gently rubbed its belly as he moved to sit on the top stair. "He likes you."

"Who doesn't?" Natsu asked. He was not oblivious to the way Levy suddenly smacked Gajeel.

Yukino chuckled. "Well, it looks like you won't need to house these little guys anymore." She was sitting next to Sting with his tail wrapped around behind her, while Rogue laid on her other side, his head in her lap where she could reach the little green cat.

"I suppose you're right," Lucy said with a grin. When the little black cat suddenly jumped up and moved to join them in the yard, she moved to sit next to Natsu. For a while, she just watched as they talked and played with the little cats, thinking about things.

It had been a rough few years. With Natsu's disappearance, everything she had built up since leaving home had felt like it was gone, even with the guild still around. Try as she might, it just hadn't been home anymore. When she thought about it, since leaving her parents' house, everything that had come after that had felt like home had been brought about by Natsu. After he'd disappeared for the second time, she'd just needed to start over again. On her own.

That was why she'd bought this place.

It had become her new home, her sanctuary. Her place to be the new her… the her without Natsu. It had given her the space she needed to piece herself back together. Her friends and the patients had made sure she wasn't lonely, but she'd also had enough space so she could be alone when she needed to. She'd focused on healing, avoiding new friendships and getting attached to anyone so that they wouldn't be a crutch. Now that she was better, now that Natsu was back, maybe she was ready to open herself up again.

"Hey Luce, can we keep him?"

Lucy turned to look at Natsu as he smiled at her just as wide as he ever did. He was still a little too skinny. He was still getting reaccustomed to his magic. His memory was faulty some days and he kept pushing himself too hard to get better on most.

But he was home and he was with her. They were always stronger together, and now that he'd returned, there was nothing that was going to take him from her side. She loved him so much that it was almost painful to look at him, to have him home. That love gave her strength, and despite the pain of his absence still being fresh in her heart, she knew that love would also keep her strong.

Natsu's smile faltered a little when she didn't respond right away. He kept one hand on the cat and wrapped his free arm around her. He tucked her head under his chin as he sighed. "I'm here, Luce, I promise."

Lucy chuckled as she pressed against him. More than once since he'd gotten back, he'd found her just staring at him, not sure if he'd really returned, almost convinced he was still a figment of her imagination. When she'd told him what was going on, he'd picked up the habit of touching her whenever he suspected she was having doubts.

She hugged him back, grateful for his consideration. "That's not why I'm staring at you this time," she murmured.

"Then what's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm just…" She sighed. "I'm just glad you're home."

His arm tightened around her. "I am, too." He kissed her forehead before pressing his own against it. "I promise you," he said once she'd opened her eyes. "I am not going anywhere. Nothing is going to take me away from you again, and nothing is going to take you away from me either. I won't allow it."

He kissed her then, his lips as gentle as the fingers that ran up and down her back. Lucy placed her hand against his cheek as she kissed him a little harder, a little more fully, before pulling away. She ignored the gagging noises Gajeel was making as she rubbed a finger over the little cat's head.

"I think we should keep him," she said. "This house could use a little more life in it." She'd been on her own so long, all she wanted was to fill her house with more love; as many people as she could have around, as many as she could fit in her house and heart.

When tears threatened to collect in her eyes, she quickly got to her feet. "I'll be right back." Before he could stop her, she entered the kitchen and retrieved the lunches Mira had packed. Once she had them all, she exited the door to find Natsu waiting for her with a grin while the others played in the yard.

"You want company?" he asked.

Lucy nodded. "Sure." Natsu gently set the little blue cat on his head before taking one of the bags in her hands. "So, did you name him?"

Natsu nodded carefully. "I think I'm going to call him Happy."

"Happy?"

"Yep." He paused as she dropped off the two containers for Rogue and Sting before walking with her to the pond. "Because he showed up during the happiest time of my life."

Lucy threaded her fingers through his as they walked. "Oh yeah? This is the happiest?"

"Yep."

"Happier than joining the guild?"

"Yep."

"Happier than meeting me and making a team?"

"Yep."

"Happier than marrying me?"

"It's close, but yeah, still happier than that." Lucy squeezed his hand as she chuckled. "Those are all happy moments, but this is the happiest because everything was so awful before I found you again. Even losing Igneel wasn't as bad as what's happened the last few years."

Lucy pulled him to a stop and wrapped an arm around him. "I'm sorry I couldn't find you."

"It's my fault," he said, returning the hug. "I shouldn't have gone alone."

Lucy heard a _splat_ as Natsu flinched. He began to growl as he pulled away. "Hey, Ice Breath! You do that again and I'll make sure Luce changes her mind about letting you stay!" When another ball of snow zipped past Natsu's head, Lucy grabbed the bag he held and Happy just before he chased after Gray. The sprite stuck out his tongue as he flew into the air, dodging the fire Natsu had thrown at him. In the pond, Juvia was floating near the center, a ball of water dancing lazily in her hand as she watched. The sight warmed Lucy's heart and she thanked the spirits once again for her good fortune.

Juvia and Gray had decided to stay after the incident with Zeref. Gray had grown fond of her it seemed during his stay, and had chosen to stay there to protect her. "_You should have more help around here_," had been his first words to her and she'd been thankful. It seemed he'd been betrayed by humans in the past, so he'd be reluctant to befriend her at first.

Of course, once Gray had decided to stay, Juvia had immediately asked to stay as well. With Natsu around, she'd even given up on harassing Lucy about being around Gray and grown more friendly. With Virgo's help, Lucy had expanded the pond, as well as linked it to the lake in the back of the property to give Juvia more space to move around, and they'd planted several trees from Gray's home for him to be more comfortable living there.

Including Natsu, herself, and now Happy, that meant there were now five warm bodies running around her property. As she continued to watch Natsu and Gray fight, she smiled. She felt more full of love than she had in a long time. She had amazing friends, she had a great job helping others, she had her husband back, and she had new allies.

There was still a lot of empty space on her property, but that wouldn't last. They'd build more friendships, they'd fill the space with more love, and they'd be happy. Some day, her and Natsu may even have children. For now the air was full of laughter again, and love surrounded her wherever she went. She nodded as she began walking towards the pond again. For now, this was good, and with time…

It would only get better.

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**Heads up for anyone who followed Surprise Guest, I'm going to going back and editing it soon; I need something to work on to help with my anxiety. I also have some ideas for a few shorts to add on to the end, so if you follow it, prepare for some updates in the near future!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Oooo, what's this? Another update! So I know there was some desire for a bit more of this story from Natsu's view so I decided to write up an extra little thing. Honestly, I was trying to jump between them initially, but the entire story was from her viewpoint except for those few little peaks into dragon-Natsu's thoughts, and it felt weird to stray from that at the end. Instead, I cut out those chunks and put this together for you guys. I really hope you enjoy!**

**And as always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!**

* * *

Natsu sighed as he looked up at the house. He'd been living there for three months and he still couldn't remember which window was their room. Was it the left one? No, it was the right. The left was a spare room. Or was it the den? Or maybe it _was_ the bedroom… It took a lot of effort to stop himself from growling as he grew more frustrated with himself.

His hands dove into his hair as he tried to sort through the fog in his mind. Ever since Lucy had saved him, he'd struggled to get his mind back on track. His memories were shot from the time he'd been taken by Zeref, and his short term memory was only just starting to get better. Where some people forgot what they were doing when they entered a different room, he'd started forgetting what he was doing as soon as he turned to leave. Lucy had been great though; once she figured that out, she'd started asking him by giving him notes so he could read it on the way and remember. It wasn't that bad anymore, but his memories before he left were still the only ones that he didn't struggle with.

"_What was our first job?" Lucy gently ran her fingers through his hair as his head rested on her lap. They were spread out on the bed, relaxing before bed._

"_Saving Macao."_

"_That wasn't a job."_

"_But it was the first thing we did together. It was an unofficial job."_

"_Fine. What was our first actual job?"_

"_Getting a book from Duke Everlue, the weirdo who had Virgo before you."_

"_How did I get Loke's key?"_

"_By convincing the Spirit King to allow him to return to the spirit world."_

"_Who did I pair up with on Tenrou the first time I went out there?"_

"_Cana."_

"_What did we do on our wedding night?" Natsu's grin began to widen, causing Lucy to smack him. "Besides the obvious."_

"_On our way home from our reception, we ran into that weird tatted up team from one of the jobs that had just shown up on the board. We managed to hold him off until Erza and Jellal showed up and then they helped us catch him. We got paid, but your dress was destroyed."_

"_What was the group's name?"_

_Natsu chuckled and tilted his head back to look at her. "Like I'd ever bother to remember that."_

"_I suppose you're right." Lucy smiled and leaned down to kiss him, but he stopped her with a finger on her lips. "What?"_

"_I haven't finished answering your question." _

_As he moved to lay next to her, she frowned. "What are you talking about? Yes you did."_

"_I only told you about what we did _before_ we got home," he said. He held her cheek and tilted her head as he kissed along her neck. She sighed as he whispered to her, telling her in great detail what they had done that night in her old apartment._

Natsu grinned as he launched himself up to the second level. It was definitely the left window, and he was on a mission now. He didn't know what Lucy was doing, but he did know what she was going to be doing. He'd already sent the others away, now he just needed to take advantage of the alone time.

Once he opened the window, he frowned. He didn't remember having black curtains on the-

"Ow!" Natsu groaned as he got up off the floor. "Damn it."

It was the wrong window.

"Wrong window, Natsu!" Natsu grumbled as he quickly righted the dresser and hopped back out the window. He'd ruined the mood, but he was still going to use the right window damn it!

He heard Lucy's mumbled voice through the window, but he ignored it as he swung into the right room. As he sank into their bed, he focused hard on making a mental note that the right window, _without _the curtains, was their bedroom. When Lucy returned, he became worried when he saw how tired and stressed she looked. He knew sleep had been hard for her recently and blamed himself for her nightmares.

Lucy set her hands on her hips when she saw him getting situated on the bed. "Just how many times did you mistake someone else's window as mine in my old apartment? How many of my neighbors did you disturb?"

"None," Natsu said as he stretched across the bed. "Your apartment smelled like you, there was no way I could miss it, but this whole house smells like you, so it's harder." He sighed as he closed his eyes, trying to hide his worry from her gaze. He needed to do something to help her get some sleep. A nap would probably be better, since she could wake up before the nightmares, but how was he going to convince her to take one?

He heard her sit at her desk and the rustling of papers as she returned to her work. Could he trick her? If he tried to convince her to nap with him, she'd refuse on the grounds that she was too busy. However, he knew she was weak to cuddles so…

Natsu knew he snored. Gray had recorded him on a lacrima once and shown him, so he knew just how to fake it. He had only been pretending to snore for a few minutes before he heard Lucy sigh and stand up. A minute later, he felt the bed sink under her weight before she curled up at his side. He fought the urge to pull her close, not wanting her to know he was awake.

Faster than he thought possible for her, her breathing evened out and she had fallen asleep. Natsu opened his eyes slightly just to make sure before he curled his arms around her and held her close. She hummed a little before wrapping her arm tighter around him.

He sighed as he fully relaxed; this was all he needed right here. His Lucy in his arms. His body and magic weren't as strong as they used to be. He still struggled to eat some days and his memory was faulty at best. However, he still had Lucy. His sweet, intelligent, courageous, resourceful, beautiful Lucy.

As long as he had her, then he had everything he'd ever need.

That was his last thought as he drifted to sleep, snug and safe in the embrace of his love.


End file.
